House Bill 1097c1

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000             CS/HB 1097

        By the Committee on Governmental Operations and
    Representative Flanagan





  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to filing of campaign

  3         treasurer's reports; creating s. 106.0705,

  4         F.S.; requiring campaign treasurer's reports

  5         that are to be filed with the Division of

  6         Elections to be filed electronically when

  7         aggregate contributions or expenditures exceed

  8         a specified amount; providing filing

  9         requirements; providing penalties; providing

10         rulemaking authority; amending s. 106.04, F.S.,

11         relating to committees of continuous existence,

12         to conform; removing requirement for duplicate

13         copies of reports; amending s. 106.07, F.S.,

14         relating to campaign treasurer's reports;

15         removing requirement for duplicate reports;

16         revising reporting periods and requirements;

17         amending s. 106.12, F.S.; providing for a petty

18         cash fund based on the revised reporting

19         periods; amending s. 106.29, F.S., relating to

20         reports by political parties; removing

21         requirement for duplicate reports; revising

22         reporting periods and requirements, to conform;

23         amending ss. 105.08, 106.025, 106.08, and

24         106.18, F.S., relating to reporting

25         requirements applicable to candidates for

26         retention to judicial office, campaign fund

27         raisers held on behalf of a political party by

28         its state or county executive committee,

29         nonallocable, in-kind contributions by

30         candidates and political parties, and the

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  1         granting of certificates of election, to

  2         conform; providing effective dates.

  3

  4  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  5

  6         Section 1.  Section 106.0705, Florida Statutes, is

  7  created to read:

  8         106.0705  Electronic filing of campaign treasurer's

  9  reports.--

10         (1)(a)  Each candidate who is required to file reports

11  pursuant to s. 106.07 with the division and who accepts

12  contributions or makes expenditures in an aggregate amount in

13  excess of $10,000 for the office sought must file such reports

14  with the division by means of electronic transfer.

15         (b)  Each political committee, committee of continuous

16  existence, or state executive committee that is required to

17  file reports with the division under s. 106.04, s. 106.07, or

18  s. 106.29, as applicable, and that accepts contributions or

19  makes expenditures in an aggregate amount in excess of $10,000

20  in a calendar year must file such reports with the division by

21  means of electronic transfer.

22         (c)  Reports required to be filed pursuant to s.

23  106.04, s. 106.07, or s. 106.29 which are not subject to the

24  electronic filing provisions of this section may be on forms

25  provided by the division.

26         (2)  Reports filed pursuant to this section shall be

27  filed not later than 5 p.m. of the day designated. Reports not

28  received by 5 p.m. of the day designated are late filed and

29  are subject to the penalties under s. 106.04(8), s. 106.07(8),

30  or s. 106.29(3), as applicable.

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  1         (3)  Each report filed pursuant to this section is

  2  considered to be under oath by the person filing the report,

  3  and such person is subject to the provisions of s.

  4  106.04(4)(d), s. 106.07(5), or s. 106.29(2), as applicable.

  5         (4)  The division shall adopt rules pursuant to ss.

  6  120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section and provide

  7  for the reports required to be filed pursuant to this section.

  8  Such rules shall, at a minimum, provide that:

  9         (a)  The division develop an electronic filing system

10  based on access by means of the Internet.

11         (b)  The electronic filing system be accessible by

12  anyone with Internet access using standard web-browsing

13  software.

14         (c)  The electronic filing system provide for direct

15  entry of campaign finance information as well as download of

16  such information from campaign finance software certified by

17  the division.

18         (d)  The electronic filing system provide a method that

19  verifies the identity of the person submitting the report.

20         (e)  The division provide for alternate filing

21  procedures in case of failure by the division's web server.

22         (f)  The division issue an electronic receipt to the

23  person submitting the report indicating and verifying that the

24  report has been filed and received.

25         Section 2.  Subsection (4) of section 106.04, Florida

26  Statutes, is amended to read:

27         106.04  Committees of continuous existence.--

28         (4)(a)  Each committee of continuous existence shall

29  file an annual report with the Division of Elections during

30  the month of January.  Such annual reports shall contain the

31  same information and shall be accompanied by the same

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  1  materials as original applications filed pursuant to

  2  subsection (2). However, the charter or bylaws need not be

  3  filed if the annual report is accompanied by a sworn statement

  4  by the chair that no changes have been made to such charter or

  5  bylaws since the last filing.

  6         (b)1.  Each committee of continuous existence shall

  7  file regular reports with the Division of Elections at the

  8  same times and subject to the same filing conditions as are

  9  established by ss. s. 106.07(1) and (2) and 106.0705 for

10  candidates' reports.

11         2.  Any committee of continuous existence failing to so

12  file a report with the Division of Elections pursuant to this

13  paragraph on the designated due date shall be subject to a

14  fine for late filing as provided by this section.

15         (c)  All committees of continuous existence shall file

16  the original and one copy of their reports with the Division

17  of Elections.  In addition, a duplicate copy of each report

18  shall be filed with the supervisor of elections in the county

19  in which the committee maintains its books and records, except

20  that if the filing officer to whom the committee is required

21  to report is located in the same county as the supervisor no

22  such duplicate report is required to be filed with the

23  supervisor.  Reports shall be on forms provided by the

24  division and shall contain the following information:

25         1.  The full name, address, and occupation of each

26  person who has made one or more contributions to the committee

27  during the reporting period, together with the amounts and

28  dates of such contributions.  For corporations, the report

29  must provide as clear a description as practicable of the

30  principal type of business conducted by the corporation.

31  However, if the contribution is $100 or less, the occupation

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  1  of the contributor or principal type of business need not be

  2  listed.  However, for any contributions which represent the

  3  payment of dues by members in a fixed amount pursuant to the

  4  schedule on file with the Division of Elections, only the

  5  aggregate amount of such contributions need be listed,

  6  together with the number of members paying such dues and the

  7  amount of the membership dues.

  8         2.  The name and address of each political committee or

  9  committee of continuous existence from which the reporting

10  committee received, or the name and address of each political

11  committee, committee of continuous existence, or political

12  party to which it made, any transfer of funds, together with

13  the amounts and dates of all transfers.

14         3.  Any other receipt of funds not listed pursuant to

15  subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2., including the sources and

16  amounts of all such funds.

17         4.  The name and address of, and office sought by, each

18  candidate to whom the committee has made a contribution during

19  the reporting period, together with the amount and date of

20  each contribution.

21         (d)  The treasurer of each committee shall certify as

22  to the correctness of each report and shall bear the

23  responsibility for its accuracy and veracity.  Any treasurer

24  who willfully certifies to the correctness of a report while

25  knowing that such report is incorrect, false, or incomplete

26  commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as

27  provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

28         (8)(a)  Any committee of continuous existence failing

29  to file a report on the designated due date shall be subject

30  to a fine.  The fine shall be $500 per day for each late day,

31  not to exceed 25 percent of the total receipts or

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  1  expenditures, whichever is greater, for the period covered by

  2  the late report. The fine shall be assessed by the filing

  3  officer, and the moneys collected shall be deposited in the

  4  Elections Commission Trust Fund.  No separate fine shall be

  5  assessed for failure to file a copy of any report required by

  6  this section.

  7         (b)  Upon determining that a report is late, the filing

  8  officer shall immediately notify the treasurer of the

  9  committee as to the failure to file a report by the designated

10  due date and that a fine is being assessed for each late day.

11  Upon receipt of the report, the filing officer shall determine

12  the amount of fine which is due and shall notify the treasurer

13  of the committee. The filing officer shall determine the

14  amount of the fine due based upon the earliest of the

15  following:

16         1.  When the report is actually received by such

17  officer.

18         2.  When the report is postmarked.

19         3.  When the certificate of mailing is dated.

20         4.  When the receipt from an established courier

21  company is dated.

22

23  Such fine shall be paid to the filing officer within 20 days

24  after receipt of the notice of payment due, unless appeal is

25  made to the Florida Elections Commission pursuant to paragraph

26  (c).  An officer or member of a committee shall not be

27  personally liable for such fine.

28         (c)  Any treasurer of a committee may appeal or dispute

29  the fine, based upon unusual circumstances surrounding the

30  failure to file on the designated due date, and may request

31  and shall be entitled to a hearing before the Florida

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  1  Elections Commission, which shall have the authority to waive

  2  the fine in whole or in part.  Any such request shall be made

  3  within 20 days after receipt of the notice of payment due.  In

  4  such case, the treasurer of the committee shall, within the

  5  20-day period, notify the filing officer in writing of his or

  6  her intention to bring the matter before the commission.

  7         (d)  The filing officer shall notify the Florida

  8  Elections Commission of the repeated late filing by a

  9  committee of continuous existence, the failure of a committee

10  of continuous existence to file a report after notice, or the

11  failure to pay the fine imposed.

12         Section 3.  Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section

13  106.07, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

14         106.07  Reports; certification and filing.--

15         (1)  Each campaign treasurer designated by a candidate

16  or political committee pursuant to s. 106.021 shall file

17  regular reports of all contributions received, and all

18  expenditures made, by or on behalf of such candidate or

19  political committee in accordance with the deadlines and

20  requirements set forth below:.

21         (a)  Reports shall be filed on the 10th day following

22  the end of each calendar quarter from the time the campaign

23  treasurer is appointed, except that, if the 10th day following

24  the end of a calendar quarter occurs on a Saturday, Sunday, or

25  legal holiday, the report shall be filed on the next following

26  day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

27  Quarterly reports shall include all contributions received and

28  expenditures made during the calendar quarter which have not

29  otherwise been reported pursuant to this section.

30         (b)(a)  Except as provided in paragraph (c) (b),

31  following the last day of qualifying for office, the reports

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  1  shall be filed on the 32nd, 18th, and 4th days immediately

  2  preceding the first primary and on the 18th and 4th days

  3  immediately preceding the second primary and general election,

  4  for a candidate who is opposed in seeking nomination or

  5  election to any office, for a political committee, or for a

  6  committee of continuous existence.

  7         (c)(b)  Following the last day of qualifying for

  8  office, any statewide candidate who has requested to receive

  9  contributions from the Election Campaign Financing Trust Fund

10  or any statewide candidate in a race with a candidate who has

11  requested to receive contributions from the trust fund shall

12  file reports on the 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, and 32nd days prior

13  to the first primary and general elections, and on the 4th,

14  11th, 18th, and 25th days prior to the second primary.

15         (d)(c)  Following the last day of qualifying for

16  office, any unopposed candidate need only file a report within

17  90 days after the date such candidate became unopposed.  Such

18  report shall contain all previously unreported contributions

19  and expenditures as required by this section and shall reflect

20  disposition of funds as required by s. 106.141.

21         (e)(d)1.  When a special election is called to fill a

22  vacancy in office, all political committees and committees of

23  continuous existence making contributions or expenditures to

24  influence the results of such special election shall file

25  campaign treasurers' reports with the filing officer on the

26  dates set by the Department of State pursuant to s. 100.111.

27         2.  When an election is called for an issue to appear

28  on the ballot at a time when no candidates are scheduled to

29  appear on the ballot, all political committees making

30  contributions or expenditures in support of or in opposition

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  1  to such issue shall file reports on the 18th and 4th days

  2  prior to such election.

  3         (f)  Except for quarterly reports and final reports by

  4  unopposed candidates, the reporting period for each report

  5  required to be filed on a specified date under this section

  6  shall, for the first report, be from the opening of the

  7  campaign account and, for each subsequent report, from the day

  8  of the filing deadline for the immediately preceding reporting

  9  period through the end of the day immediately preceding the

10  filing deadline of the period of the report to be filed. Each

11  such report shall include any contributions received or

12  expenditures made during any previous reporting period which

13  have not been reported.

14

15  (e)  The filing officer shall provide each candidate with a

16  schedule designating the beginning and end of reporting

17  periods as well as the corresponding designated due dates

18  designated in this subsection.

19         (2)(a)  All reports required of a candidate by this

20  section shall be filed with the officer before whom the

21  candidate is required by law to qualify.  All candidates who

22  file with the Department of State shall file the original and

23  one copy of their reports.  In addition, a copy of each report

24  for candidates for other than statewide office who qualify

25  with the Department of State shall be filed with the

26  supervisor of elections in the county where the candidate

27  resides.  Reports shall be filed not later than 5 p.m. of the

28  day designated; however, any report postmarked by the United

29  States Postal Service no later than midnight of the day

30  designated shall be deemed to have been filed in a timely

31  manner. A certificate of mailing obtained from and dated by

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  1  the United States Postal Service at the time of mailing, or a

  2  receipt from an established courier company, which bears a

  3  date on or before the date on which the report is due, shall

  4  be proof of mailing in a timely manner. Reports shall contain

  5  information of all previously unreported contributions

  6  received and expenditures made as of the preceding Friday,

  7  except that the report filed on the Friday immediately

  8  preceding the election shall contain information of all

  9  previously unreported contributions received and expenditures

10  made as of the day preceding that designated due date.  All

11  such reports shall be open to public inspection.

12         (b)1.  Any report which is deemed to be incomplete by

13  the officer with whom the candidate qualifies shall be

14  accepted on a conditional basis, and the campaign treasurer

15  shall be notified by registered mail as to why the report is

16  incomplete and be given 3 days from receipt of such notice to

17  file an addendum to the report providing all information

18  necessary to complete the report in compliance with this

19  section. Failure to file a complete report after such notice

20  constitutes a violation of this chapter.

21         2.  In lieu of the notice by registered mail as

22  required in subparagraph 1., the qualifying officer may notify

23  the campaign treasurer by telephone that the report is

24  incomplete and request the information necessary to complete

25  the report.  If, however, such information is not received by

26  the qualifying officer within 3 days of the telephone request

27  therefor, notice shall be sent by registered mail as provided

28  in subparagraph 1.

29         (3)  Reports required of a political committee shall be

30  filed with the agency or officer before whom such committee

31  registers pursuant to s. 106.03(3) and shall be subject to the

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  1  same filing conditions as established for candidates' reports.

  2  Only committees that file with the Department of State shall

  3  file the original and one copy of their reports. Incomplete

  4  reports by political committees shall be treated in the manner

  5  provided for incomplete reports by candidates in subsection

  6  (2).

  7         (5)  The candidate and his or her campaign treasurer,

  8  in the case of a candidate, or the political committee chair

  9  and campaign treasurer of the committee, in the case of a

10  political committee, shall certify as to the correctness of

11  each report; and each person so certifying shall bear the

12  responsibility for the accuracy and veracity of each report.

13  Any campaign treasurer, candidate, or political committee

14  chair who willfully certifies the correctness of any report

15  while knowing that such report is incorrect, false, or

16  incomplete commits a misdemeanor of the first degree,

17  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

18         (8)(a)  Any candidate or political committee failing to

19  file a report on the designated due date shall be subject to a

20  fine as provided in paragraph (b) for each late day, and, in

21  the case of a candidate, such fine shall be paid only from

22  personal funds of the candidate.  The fine shall be assessed

23  by the filing officer and the moneys collected shall be

24  deposited:

25         1.  In the Elections Commission Trust Fund, in the case

26  of a candidate for state office or a political committee that

27  registers with the Division of Elections; or

28         2.  In the general revenue fund of the political

29  subdivision, in the case of a candidate for an office of a

30  political subdivision or a political committee that registers

31  with an officer of a political subdivision.

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  1

  2  No separate fine shall be assessed for failure to file a copy

  3  of any report required by this section.

  4         (b)  Upon determining that a report is late, the filing

  5  officer shall immediately notify the candidate or chair of the

  6  political committee as to the failure to file a report by the

  7  designated due date and that a fine is being assessed for each

  8  late day.  The fine shall be $50 per day for the first 3 days

  9  late and, thereafter, $500 per day for each late day, not to

10  exceed 25 percent of the total receipts or expenditures,

11  whichever is greater, for the period covered by the late

12  report.  However, for the reports immediately preceding each

13  primary and general election, the fine shall be $500 per day

14  for each late day, not to exceed 25 percent of the total

15  receipts or expenditures, whichever if greater, for the period

16  covered by the late report. Upon receipt of the report, the

17  filing officer shall determine the amount of the fine which is

18  due and shall notify the candidate or chair.  The filing

19  officer shall determine the amount of the fine due based upon

20  the earliest of the following:

21         1.  When the report is actually received by such

22  officer.

23         2.  When the report is postmarked.

24         3.  When the certificate of mailing is dated.

25         4.  When the receipt from an established courier

26  company is dated.

27

28  Such fine shall be paid to the filing officer within 20 days

29  after receipt of the notice of payment due, unless appeal is

30  made to the Florida Elections Commission pursuant to paragraph

31  (c).  In the case of a candidate, such fine shall not be an

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  1  allowable campaign expenditure and shall be paid only from

  2  personal funds of the candidate.  An officer or member of a

  3  political committee shall not be personally liable for such

  4  fine.

  5         (c)  Any candidate or chair of a political committee

  6  may appeal or dispute the fine, based upon unusual

  7  circumstances surrounding the failure to file on the

  8  designated due date, and may request and shall be entitled to

  9  a hearing before the Florida Elections Commission, which shall

10  have the authority to waive the fine in whole or in part.  Any

11  such request shall be made within 20 days after receipt of the

12  notice of payment due.  In such case, the candidate or chair

13  of the political committee shall, within the 20-day period,

14  notify the filing officer in writing of his or her intention

15  to bring the matter before the commission.

16         (d)  The appropriate filing officer shall notify the

17  Florida Elections Commission of the repeated late filing by a

18  candidate or political committee, the failure of a candidate

19  or political committee to file a report after notice, or the

20  failure to pay the fine imposed.

21         Section 4.  Effective January 1, 2001, subsection (1)

22  of section 106.07, Florida Statutes, as amended by this act,

23  is amended to read:

24         106.07  Reports; certification and filing.--

25         (1)  Each campaign treasurer designated by a candidate

26  or political committee pursuant to s. 106.021 shall file

27  regular reports of all contributions received, and all

28  expenditures made, by or on behalf of such candidate or

29  political committee in accordance with the deadlines and

30  requirements set forth below:

31

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  1         (a)  From the time the campaign treasurer is appointed,

  2  the reporting period shall be monthly, beginning on the 16th

  3  of each month and ending on the 15th of the ensuing month.

  4  Monthly reports shall be filed on the third business day after

  5  the close of each reporting period 10th day following the end

  6  of each calendar quarter from the time the campaign treasurer

  7  is appointed, except that, if the due date 10th day following

  8  the end of a calendar quarter occurs on a Saturday, Sunday, or

  9  legal holiday, the report shall be filed on the next following

10  day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

11  Quarterly reports shall include all contributions received and

12  expenditures made during the calendar quarter which have not

13  otherwise been reported pursuant to this section.

14         (b)  Except as provided in paragraph (c), Following the

15  last day of qualifying for office, the reporting period shall

16  be weekly, beginning on Friday and ending on the ensuing

17  Thursday. Weekly reports shall be filed on the second business

18  day after the Thursday of each week, except that the last

19  report shall be filed on the Friday immediately preceding the

20  general election 32nd, 18th, and 4th days immediately

21  preceding the first primary and on the 18th and 4th days

22  immediately preceding the second primary and general election,

23  for a candidate who is opposed in seeking nomination or

24  election to any office, for a political committee, or for a

25  committee of continuous existence.

26         (c)  Following the last day of qualifying for office,

27  any statewide candidate who has requested to receive

28  contributions from the Election Campaign Financing Trust Fund

29  or any statewide candidate in a race with a candidate who has

30  requested to receive contributions from the trust fund shall

31  file reports on the 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, and 32nd days prior

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  1  to the first primary and general elections, and on the 4th,

  2  11th, 18th, and 25th days prior to the second primary.

  3         (c)(d)  Notwithstanding paragraph (b), following the

  4  last day of qualifying for office, any unopposed candidate

  5  need only file a report within 90 days after the date such

  6  candidate became unopposed.  Such report shall contain all

  7  previously unreported contributions and expenditures as

  8  required by this section and shall reflect disposition of

  9  funds as required by s. 106.141.

10         (d)(e)1.  When a special election is called to fill a

11  vacancy in office, all political committees and committees of

12  continuous existence making contributions or expenditures to

13  influence the results of such special election shall file

14  campaign treasurers' reports with the filing officer on the

15  dates set by the Department of State pursuant to s. 100.111.

16         2.  When an election is called for an issue to appear

17  on the ballot at a time when no candidates are scheduled to

18  appear on the ballot, all political committees making

19  contributions or expenditures in support of or in opposition

20  to such issue shall file reports on the 18th and 4th days

21  prior to such election.

22         (e)(f)  Except for quarterly reports and final reports

23  by unopposed candidates, the reporting period for each report

24  required to be filed on a specified date under this section

25  shall, for the first report, be from the opening of the

26  campaign account and, for each subsequent report, from the day

27  of the filing deadline for the immediately preceding reporting

28  period through the end of the day immediately preceding the

29  filing deadline of the period of the report to be filed. Each

30  such report required to be filed under this subsection shall

31

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  1  include any contributions received or expenditures made during

  2  any previous reporting period which have not been reported.

  3

  4  The filing officer shall provide each candidate with a

  5  schedule designating the beginning and end of reporting

  6  periods as well as the corresponding due dates designated in

  7  this subsection.

  8         Section 5.  Effective January 1, 2001, subsection (1)

  9  of section 106.12, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

10         106.12  Petty cash funds allowed.--

11         (1)  Each campaign treasurer designated pursuant to s.

12  106.021(1) for a candidate or political committee is

13  authorized to withdraw from the primary campaign account,

14  until the close of the last day for qualifying for office, the

15  amount of $200 $500 per monthly calendar quarter reporting

16  period for the purpose of providing a petty cash fund for the

17  candidate or political committee.

18         Section 6.  Subsection (1) of section 106.29, Florida

19  Statutes, is amended to read:

20         106.29  Reports by political parties; restrictions on

21  contributions and expenditures; penalties.--

22         (1)  The state executive committee and each county

23  executive committee of each political party regulated by

24  chapter 103 shall file regular reports of all contributions

25  received and all expenditures made by such committee.  Such

26  reports shall contain the same information as do reports

27  required of candidates by s. 106.07 and shall be filed on the

28  10th day following the end of each calendar quarter, except

29  that, during the period from the last day for candidate

30  qualifying until the general election, such reports shall be

31  filed on the Friday immediately preceding the first primary

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  1  election, the second primary election, and the general

  2  election and shall cover all contributions received and

  3  expenditures made through the end of the day preceding the day

  4  of the filing deadline and all contributions received and

  5  expenditures made during any previous reporting period which

  6  have not been reported.  Each state executive committee shall

  7  file the original and one copy of its reports with the

  8  Division of Elections.  Each county executive committee shall

  9  file its reports with the supervisor of elections in the

10  county in which such committee exists.  Any state or county

11  executive committee failing to file a report on the designated

12  due date shall be subject to a fine as provided in subsection

13  (3).  No separate fine shall be assessed for failure to file a

14  copy of any report required by this section.

15         (2)  The chair and treasurer of each state or county

16  executive committee shall certify as to the correctness of

17  each report filed by them on behalf of such committee.  Any

18  committee chair or treasurer who certifies the correctness of

19  any report while knowing that such report is incorrect, false,

20  or incomplete commits a felony of the third degree, punishable

21  as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

22         (3)(a)  Any state or county executive committee failing

23  to file a report on the designated due date shall be subject

24  to a fine as provided in paragraph (b) for each late day.  The

25  fine shall be assessed by the filing officer, and the moneys

26  collected shall be deposited in the Elections Commission Trust

27  Fund.

28         (b)  Upon determining that a report is late, the filing

29  officer shall immediately notify the chair of the executive

30  committee as to the failure to file a report by the designated

31  due date and that a fine is being assessed for each late day.

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  1  The fine shall be $1,000 for a state executive committee, and

  2  $50 for a county executive committee, per day for each late

  3  day, not to exceed 25 percent of the total receipts or

  4  expenditures, whichever is greater, for the period covered by

  5  the late report.  However, if an executive committee fails to

  6  file a report on the Friday immediately preceding the general

  7  election, the fine shall be $10,000 per day for each day a

  8  state executive committee is late and $500 per day for each

  9  day a county executive committee is late.  Upon receipt of the

10  report, the filing officer shall determine the amount of the

11  fine which is due and shall notify the chair.  The filing

12  officer shall determine the amount of the fine due based upon

13  the earliest of the following:

14         1.  When the report is actually received by such

15  officer.

16         2.  When the report is postmarked.

17         3.  When the certificate of mailing is dated.

18         4.  When the receipt from an established courier

19  company is dated.

20

21  Such fine shall be paid to the filing officer within 20 days

22  after receipt of the notice of payment due, unless appeal is

23  made to the Florida Elections Commission pursuant to paragraph

24  (c).  An officer or member of an executive committee shall not

25  be personally liable for such fine.

26         (c)  The chair of an executive committee may appeal or

27  dispute the fine, based upon unusual circumstances surrounding

28  the failure to file on the designated due date, and may

29  request and shall be entitled to a hearing before the Florida

30  Elections Commission, which shall have the authority to waive

31  the fine in whole or in part.  Any such request shall be made

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  1  within 20 days after receipt of the notice of payment due.  In

  2  such case, the chair of the executive committee shall, within

  3  the 20-day period, notify the filing officer in writing of his

  4  or her intention to bring the matter before the commission.

  5         (d)  The appropriate filing officer shall notify the

  6  Florida Elections Commission of the repeated late filing by an

  7  executive committee, the failure of an executive committee to

  8  file a report after notice, or the failure to pay the fine

  9  imposed.

10         Section 7.  Effective January 1, 2001, subsection (1)

11  of section 106.29, Florida Statutes, as amended by this act,

12  is amended to read:

13         106.29  Reports by political parties; restrictions on

14  contributions and expenditures; penalties.--

15         (1)  The state executive committee and each county

16  executive committee of each political party regulated by

17  chapter 103 shall file regular reports of all contributions

18  received and all expenditures made by such committee.  Such

19  reports shall contain the same information as do reports

20  required of candidates by s. 106.07 and shall be filed at the

21  same times and subject to the same filing conditions as are

22  established by ss. 106.07(1) and (2) and 106.0705 for

23  candidates' reports on the 10th day following the end of each

24  calendar quarter, except that, during the period from the last

25  day for candidate qualifying until the general election, such

26  reports shall be filed on the Friday immediately preceding the

27  first primary election, the second primary election, and the

28  general election and shall cover all contributions received

29  and expenditures made through the end of the day preceding the

30  day of the filing deadline and all contributions received and

31  expenditures made during any previous reporting period which

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  1  have not been reported.  Each county executive committee shall

  2  file its reports with the supervisor of elections in the

  3  county in which such committee exists.  Any state or county

  4  executive committee failing to file a report on the designated

  5  due date shall be subject to a fine as provided in subsection

  6  (3).  No separate fine shall be assessed for failure to file a

  7  copy of any report required by this section.

  8         Section 8.  Subsection (2) of section 105.08, Florida

  9  Statutes, is amended to read:

10         105.08  Campaign contribution and expense; reporting.--

11         (2)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this

12  chapter or chapter 106, a candidate for retention as a justice

13  or a judge who has not received any contribution or made any

14  expenditure may file a sworn statement at the time of

15  qualifying that he or she does not anticipate receiving

16  contributions or making expenditures in connection with the

17  candidacy for retention to office.  Such candidate shall file

18  a final report pursuant to s. 106.141, within 90 days

19  following the general election for which the candidate's name

20  appeared on the ballot for retention. Any such candidate for

21  retention to judicial office who, after filing a statement

22  pursuant to this subsection, receives any contribution or

23  makes any expenditure in connection with the candidacy for

24  retention shall immediately file a statement to that effect

25  with the qualifying officer and shall begin filing reports as

26  an opposed candidate pursuant to s. 106.07 or s. 106.0705.

27         Section 9.  Subsection (2) of section 106.025, Florida

28  Statutes, is amended to read:

29         106.025  Campaign fund raisers.--

30         (2)  This section shall not apply to any campaign fund

31  raiser held on behalf of a political party by the state or

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  1  county executive committee of such party, provided that the

  2  proceeds of such campaign fund raiser are reported pursuant to

  3  s. 106.29 or s. 106.0705.

  4         Section 10.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section

  5  106.08, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  6         106.08  Contributions; limitations on.--

  7         (2)

  8         (b)  Polling services, research services, costs for

  9  campaign staff, professional consulting services, and

10  telephone calls are not contributions to be counted toward the

11  contribution limits of paragraph (a).  Any item not expressly

12  identified in this paragraph as nonallocable is a contribution

13  in an amount equal to the fair market value of the item and

14  must be counted as allocable toward the $50,000 contribution

15  limits of paragraph (a). Nonallocable, in-kind contributions

16  must be reported by the candidate under s. 106.07 or s.

17  106.0705 and by the political party under s. 106.29 or s.

18  106.0705.

19         Section 11.  Subsection (3) of section 106.18, Florida

20  Statutes, is amended to read:

21         106.18  When a candidate's name to be omitted from

22  ballot.--

23         (3)  No certificate of election shall be granted to any

24  candidate until all preelection reports required by s. 106.07

25  or s. 106.0705 have been filed in accordance with the

26  provisions of such section. However, no candidate shall be

27  prevented from receiving a certificate of election for failure

28  to file any copy of a report required by this chapter.

29         Section 12.  Except as otherwise provided herein, this

30  act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

31

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