SB0662 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 10645 JAM 30872 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB0662

Introduced 2/8/2007, by Sen. Terry Link

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

10 ILCS 5/9-9.5

Amends the Election Code. With respect to the requirement that a political committee ensure that it is clearly identified in any communication aimed at voters for which it pays any part, imposes the requirement when the communication mentions the name of a candidate in an upcoming election without the candidate's permission or advocates for or against a public policy question (now, when the communication mentions the name and advocates for or against the question).

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 9-9.5 as follows:

(10 ILCS 5/9-9.5)

Sec. 9-9.5. Disclosures in political communications.

(a) Any political committee, organized under the Election Code, that makes an expenditure for a pamphlet, circular, handbill, Internet or telephone communication, radio, television, or print advertisement, or other communication directed at voters and mentioning the name of a candidate in the next upcoming election shall ensure that the name of the political committee paying for any part of the communication, including, but not limited to, its preparation and distribution, is identified clearly within the communication as the payor. This subsection does not apply to items that are too small to contain the required disclosure. Nothing in this subsection shall require disclosure on any telephone communication using random sampling or other scientific survey methods to gauge public opinion for or against any candidate or question of public policy.

Whenever any vendor or other person provides any of the services listed in this subsection, other than any telephone communication using random sampling or other scientific survey methods to gauge public opinion for or against any candidate or question of public policy, the vendor or person shall keep and maintain records showing the name and address of the person who purchased or requested the services and the amount paid for the services. The records required by this subsection shall be kept for a period of one year after the date upon which payment was received for the services.

(b) Any political committee, organized under this Code, that makes an expenditure for a pamphlet, circular, handbill, Internet or telephone communication, radio, television, or print advertisement, or other communication directed at voters and (i) mentioning the name of a candidate in the next upcoming election, without that candidate's permission, or and (ii) advocating for or against a public policy position shall ensure that the name of the political committee paying for any part of the communication, including, but not limited to, its preparation and distribution, is identified clearly within the communication. Nothing in this subsection shall require disclosure on any telephone communication using random sampling or other scientific survey methods to gauge public opinion for or against any candidate or question of public policy.

(c) A political committee organized under this Code shall not make an expenditure for any unsolicited telephone call to the line of a residential telephone customer in this State using any method to block or otherwise circumvent that customer's use of a caller identification service.

(Source: P.A. 93-615, eff. 11-19-03; 93-847, eff. 7-30-04; 94-645, eff. 8-22-05; 94-1000, eff. 7-3-06.)