AB508: Bill Text

LRB-2139/1

JTK:mfd:km

1997 - 1998 LEGISLATURE

1997 Assembly BILL 508

September 9, 1997 - Introduced by Representatives Kaufert, Ziegelbauer, Jensen, Musser, Carpenter, R. Young, Brandemuehl, Freese, Dobyns, Hasenohrl, Porter, Grothman, Hoven, Albers, M. Lehman, Ryba, Goetsch, Jeskewitz, Lorge, Nass, Underheim, Robson, Murat, Walker and Gunderson, cosponsored by Senators Grobschmidt, Rosenzweig, Rude, Clausing and Zien. Referred to Committee on Campaign Finance Reform.

AB508,1,2 An Act to amend 11.50 (2) (b) 5. of the statutes; relating to: qualification for a grant from the Wisconsin election campaign fund.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Currently, candidates for any partisan state office, except the office of district attorney, and candidates for justice of the supreme court and superintendent of public instruction may, upon meeting certain qualifications, receive state grants derived from general purpose revenues to be used for certain campaign expenses. One of the qualifications that a candidate for legislative office must meet is to raise at least 5% of the total amount of the candidate's expenditure limitation in contributions of money, other than loans, received from individuals in aggregate amounts of $100 or less.

This bill requires, in addition, that in order to qualify for a grant, a candidate for legislative office must raise at least 50% of his or her qualifying contributions from individuals who are residents of the district in which the candidate seeks office.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB508, s. 1 Section 1. 11.50 (2) (b) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB508,2,21 11.50 (2) (b) 5. The financial reports filed by or on behalf of the candidate as of the date of the spring or September primary, or the date that the special primary is or would be held, if required, indicate that the candidate has received at least the amount provided in this subdivision, from contributions of money, other than loans, made by individuals, which have been received during the period ending on the date of the spring primary and July 1 preceding such date in the case of candidates at the spring election, or the date of the September primary and January 1 preceding such date in the case of candidates at the general election, or the date that a special primary will or would be held, if required, and 90 days preceding such date or the date a special election is ordered, whichever is earlier, in the case of special election candidates, which contributions are in the aggregate amount of $100 or less, and which are fully identified and itemized as to the exact source thereof. In the case of a candidate for legislative office, at least 50% of the contributions shall be received from individuals who are residents of the district in which the candidate seeks office. A contribution received from a conduit which is identified by the conduit as originating from an individual shall be considered a contribution made by the individual. Only the first $100 of an aggregate contribution of more than $100 may be counted toward the required percentage. For a candidate at the spring or general election for an office identified in s. 11.26 (1) (a) or a candidate at a special election, the required amount to qualify for a grant is 5% of the candidate's authorized disbursement limitation under s. 11.31. For any other candidate at the general election, the required amount to qualify for a grant is 10% of the candidate's authorized disbursement limitation under s. 11.31.

AB508, s. 2 Section 2. Initial applicability.

AB508,2,24 (1) This act first applies to qualifications for grants to be distributed for the 1998 general election campaign period.

AB508,2,25 (End)