LRB-4152/3
RJM&JTK:kg&cs:kjf
2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE
January 16, 2002 - Introduced by Representatives Jensen, Foti, Freese,
Loeffelholz, Walker, Vrakas, Musser, Ladwig, Ward, Johnsrud, Gundrum,
Starzyk, Duff, M. Lehman, Olsen, Rhoades, Hahn, Hundertmark, Urban,
Kedzie, Gunderson, Montgomery, Lippert, Stone, Skindrud, Leibham,
Krawczyk, Nass, Kestell, McCormick, Jeskewitz, Kaufert, Albers
and Bies,
cosponsored by Senators Panzer, Harsdorf, Rosenzweig, Kanavas, Welch,
Darling, Roessler
and Huelsman. Referred to Committee on Campaigns and
Elections.
AB726,1,5 1An Act to repeal 11.01 (12s), 11.05 (3) (o) and 11.265; and to amend 5.02 (13),
211.05 (3) (c), 11.05 (9) (b), 11.06 (2), 11.06 (7m) (a), 11.06 (7m) (c), 11.16 (5), 11.26
3(2) (intro.), 11.26 (4), 11.26 (8), 11.26 (9) (a) and (b) and 11.50 (9) of the statutes;
4relating to: limits on certain contributions received by political parties and
5elimination of legislative campaign committees.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Currently, the adherents of any political party in either house of the legislature
may organize a "legislative campaign committee" to support the candidacy of
members of their party for legislative office. Committees other than legislative
campaign committees and political party committees are generally subject to a
limitation upon the contributions that they may make to candidates for legislative
office or to political parties. Legislative campaign committees are subject only to
overall limitations on the aggregate contributions that may be accepted by a
candidate from entities other than individuals.
This bill eliminates the special treatment of legislative campaign committees
under the statutes, thus causing them to be treated in the same manner as other
special interest committees for the purpose of contribution limitations. The bill does
not preclude a committee from utilizing any name it wishes.

Currently, a political party may accept up to $150,000 in contributions from all
committees during any biennium. This bill increases that amount to $500,000.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB726, s. 1 1Section 1. 5.02 (13) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB726,2,72 5.02 (13) "Political party" or "party" means a state committee registered under
3s. 11.05 and organized exclusively for political purposes under whose name
4candidates appear on a ballot at any election, and all county, congressional,
5legislative, local, and other affiliated committees authorized to operate under the
6same name. For purposes of ch. 11, the term does not include a legislative campaign
7committee or
a committee filing an oath under s. 11.06 (7).
AB726, s. 2 8Section 2. 11.01 (12s) of the statutes is repealed.
AB726, s. 3 9Section 3. 11.05 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB726,2,1310 11.05 (3) (c) In the case of a committee, a statement as to whether the
11committee is a personal campaign committee, a political party committee, a
12legislative campaign committee,
a support committee, or a special interest
13committee.
AB726, s. 4 14Section 4. 11.05 (3) (o) of the statutes is repealed.
AB726, s. 5 15Section 5. 11.05 (9) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB726,2,2116 11.05 (9) (b) An individual who or a committee or group which receives a
17contribution of money and transfers the contribution to another individual,
18committee, or group while acting as a conduit is not subject to registration under this
19section unless the individual, committee, or group transfers the contribution to a
20candidate or a personal campaign, legislative campaign, political party, or support
21committee.
AB726, s. 6
1Section 6. 11.06 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB726,3,102 11.06 (2) Disclosure of certain indirect disbursements. Notwithstanding
3sub. (1), if a disbursement is made or obligation incurred by an individual other than
4a candidate or by a committee or group which is not primarily organized for political
5purposes, and the disbursement does not constitute a contribution to any candidate
6or other individual, committee, or group, the disbursement or obligation is required
7to be reported only if the purpose is to expressly advocate the election or defeat of a
8clearly identified candidate or the adoption or rejection of a referendum. The
9exemption provided by this subsection shall in no case be construed to apply to a
10political party, legislative campaign, personal campaign, or support committee.
AB726, s. 7 11Section 7. 11.06 (7m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB726,4,212 11.06 (7m) (a) If a committee which was registered under s. 11.05 as a political
13party committee or legislative campaign committee supporting candidates of a
14political party files an oath under sub. (7) affirming that it does not act in cooperation
15or consultation with any candidate who is nominated to appear on the party ballot
16of the party at a general or special election, that the committee does not act in concert
17with, or at the request or suggestion of, such a candidate, that the committee does
18not act in cooperation or consultation with such a candidate or agent or authorized
19committee of such a candidate who benefits from a disbursement made in opposition
20to another candidate, and that the committee does not act in concert with, or at the
21request or suggestion of, such a candidate or agent or authorized committee of such
22a candidate who benefits from a disbursement made in opposition to another
23candidate, the committee filing the oath may not make any contributions in support
24of any candidate of the party at the general or special election or in opposition to any

1such candidate's opponents exceeding the amounts specified in s. 11.26 (2), except as
2authorized in par. (c).
AB726, s. 8 3Section 8. 11.06 (7m) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB726,4,104 11.06 (7m) (c) A committee filing an oath under sub. (7) which desires to change
5its status to a political party committee or legislative campaign committee may do
6so as of December 31 of any even-numbered year. Section 11.26 does not apply to
7contributions received by such a committee prior to the date of the change. Such a
8committee may change its status at other times only by filing a termination
9statement under s. 11.19 (1) and reregistering as a newly organized committee under
10s. 11.05.
AB726, s. 9 11Section 9. 11.16 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB726,5,212 11.16 (5) Escrow agreements. Any personal campaign committee, or political
13party committee or legislative campaign committee may, pursuant to a written
14escrow agreement with more than one candidate, solicit contributions for and
15conduct a joint fund raising effort or program on behalf of more than one named
16candidate. The agreement shall specify the percentage of the proceeds to be
17distributed to each candidate by the committee conducting the effort or program.
18The committee shall include this information in all solicitations for the effort or
19program. All contributions received and disbursements made by the committee in
20connection with the effort or program shall be received and disbursed through a
21separate depository account under s. 11.14 (1) that is identified in the agreement.
22For purposes of s. 11.06 (1), the committee conducting the effort or program shall
23prepare a schedule in the form prescribed by the board supplying all required
24information under s. 11.06 (1) and items qualifying for exclusion under s. 11.31 (6)

1for the effort or program, and shall transmit a copy of the schedule to each candidate
2who receives any of the proceeds within the period prescribed in s. 11.06 (4) (c).
AB726, s. 10 3Section 10. 11.26 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB726,5,94 11.26 (2) (intro.) No committee other than a political party committee or
5legislative campaign committee
may make any contribution or contributions to a
6candidate for election or nomination to any of the following offices and to any
7individual or committee under s. 11.06 (7) acting solely in support of such a candidate
8or solely in opposition to the candidate's opponent to the extent of more than a total
9of the amounts specified per candidate:
AB726, s. 11 10Section 11. 11.26 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB726,5,1511 11.26 (4) No individual may make any contribution or contributions to all
12candidates for state and local offices and to any individuals who or committees which
13are subject to a registration requirement under s. 11.05, including legislative
14campaign committees and
committees of a political party, to the extent of more than
15a total of $10,000 in any calendar year.
AB726, s. 12 16Section 12. 11.26 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB726,5,2217 11.26 (8) (a) No political party as defined in s. 5.02 (13) may receive more than
18a total of $150,000 $500,000 in value of its contributions in any biennium from all
19other committees, excluding contributions from legislative campaign committees
20and
transfers between party committees of the party. In this paragraph, a biennium
21commences with January 1 of each odd-numbered year and ends with December 31
22of each even-numbered year.
AB726,5,2523 (b) No such political party may receive more than a total of $6,000 in value of
24its contributions in any calendar year from any specific committee or its subunits or
25affiliates, excluding legislative campaign and political party committees.
AB726,6,3
1(c) No committee, other than a political party or legislative campaign
2committee, may make any contribution or contributions, directly or indirectly, to a
3political party under s. 5.02 (13) in a calendar year exceeding a total value of $6,000.
AB726, s. 13 4Section 13. 11.26 (9) (a) and (b) of the statutes are amended to read:
AB726,6,95 11.26 (9) (a) No individual who is a candidate for state or local office may receive
6and accept more than 65% of the value of the total disbursement level determined
7under s. 11.31 for the office for which he or she is a candidate during any primary and
8election campaign combined from all committees subject to a filing requirement,
9including political party and legislative campaign committees.
AB726,6,1410 (b) No individual who is a candidate for state or local office may receive and
11accept more than 45% of the value of the total disbursement level determined under
12s. 11.31 for the office for which he or she is a candidate during any primary and
13election campaign combined from all committees other than political party and
14legislative campaign
committees subject to a filing requirement.
AB726, s. 14 15Section 14. 11.265 of the statutes is repealed.
AB726, s. 15 16Section 15. 11.50 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB726,7,217 11.50 (9) Limitation on grants. The total grant available to an eligible
18candidate may not exceed that amount which, when added to all other contributions
19accepted from sources other than individuals, and political party committees and
20legislative campaign committees
, is equal to 45% of the disbursement level specified
21for the applicable office under s. 11.31. The board shall scrutinize accounts and
22reports and records kept under this chapter to assure that applicable limitations
23under ss. 11.26 (9) and 11.31 are not exceeded and any violation is reported. No

1candidate or campaign treasurer may accept grants exceeding the amount
2authorized by this subsection.
AB726,7,33 (End)
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