HB5181 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 18242 PJG 63468 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB5181

Introduced 2/8/2012, by Rep. Jim Sacia

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/9-1.8

from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.8

Amends the Election Code. Provides that a "candidate political committee", "political action committee", or "ballot initiative committee" means a committee that makes contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 (now, exceeding $3,000) on behalf of a candidate, on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate, or related to any question of public policy to be submitted to the electors, respectively. Effective July 1, 2012.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning elections.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Election Code is amended by changing Section 9-1.8 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/9-1.8) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-1.8)

Sec. 9-1.8. Political committees.

(a) "Political committee" includes a candidate political committee, a political party committee, a political action committee, and a ballot initiative committee.

(b) "Candidate political committee" means the candidate himself or herself or any natural person, trust, partnership, corporation, or other organization or group of persons designated by the candidate that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 on behalf of the candidate.

(c) "Political party committee" means the State central committee of a political party, a county central committee of a political party, a legislative caucus committee, or a committee formed by a ward or township committeeman of a political party. For purposes of this Article, a "legislative caucus committee" means a committee established for the purpose of electing candidates to the General Assembly by the person elected President of the Senate, Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, or a committee established by 5 or more members of the same caucus of the Senate or 10 or more members of the same caucus of the House of Representatives.

(d) "Political action committee" means any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons, other than a candidate, political party, candidate political committee, or political party committee, that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate or candidates for public office. "Political action committee" includes any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons, other than a candidate, political party, candidate political committee, or political party committee, that makes electioneering communications during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 related to any candidate or candidates for public office.

(e) "Ballot initiative committee" means any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 in support of or in opposition to any question of public policy to be submitted to the electors. "Ballot initiative committee" includes any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons that makes electioneering communications during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000 $3,000 related to any question of public policy to be submitted to the voters. The $5,000 $3,000 threshold applies to any contributions or expenditures received or made with the purpose of securing a place on the ballot for, advocating the defeat or passage of, or engaging in electioneering communication regarding the question of public policy, regardless of the method of initiation of the question of public policy and regardless of whether petitions have been circulated or filed with the appropriate office or whether the question has been adopted and certified by the governing body.

(Source: P.A. 95-963, eff. 1-1-09; 96-832, eff. 1-1-11.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2012.