Florida Senate - 2017                                     SB 758
       
       
        
       By Senator Rodriguez
       
       37-01060-17                                            2017758__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to elections; amending s. 99.061,
    3         F.S.; revising the timeframe for a candidate to pay a
    4         qualifying fee under certain circumstances; providing
    5         an effective date.
    6          
    7  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    8  
    9         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (7) of section
   10  99.061, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   11         99.061 Method of qualifying for nomination or election to
   12  federal, state, county, or district office.—
   13         (7)(a) In order for a candidate to be qualified, the
   14  following items must be received by the filing officer by the
   15  end of the qualifying period:
   16         1. A properly executed check drawn upon the candidate’s
   17  campaign account payable to the person or entity as prescribed
   18  by the filing officer in an amount not less than the fee
   19  required by s. 99.092, unless the candidate obtained the
   20  required number of signatures on petitions pursuant to s.
   21  99.095. The filing fee for a special district candidate is not
   22  required to be drawn upon the candidate’s campaign account. If a
   23  candidate’s check is returned by the bank for any reason, the
   24  filing officer shall immediately notify the candidate and,
   25  notwithstanding the candidate shall have until the end of the
   26  qualifying period, the candidate shall have 48 hours from the
   27  time such notification is received, excluding Saturdays,
   28  Sundays, and legal holidays, to pay the fee with a cashier’s
   29  check purchased from funds of the campaign account. Failure to
   30  pay the fee as provided in this subparagraph shall disqualify
   31  the candidate.
   32         2. The candidate’s oath required by s. 99.021, which must
   33  contain the name of the candidate as it is to appear on the
   34  ballot; the office sought, including the district or group
   35  number if applicable; and the signature of the candidate, which
   36  must be verified under oath or affirmation pursuant to s.
   37  92.525(1)(a).
   38         3. If the office sought is partisan, the written statement
   39  of political party affiliation required by s. 99.021(1)(b).
   40         4. The completed form for the appointment of campaign
   41  treasurer and designation of campaign depository, as required by
   42  s. 106.021.
   43         5. The full and public disclosure or statement of financial
   44  interests required by subsection (5). A public officer who has
   45  filed the full and public disclosure or statement of financial
   46  interests with the Commission on Ethics or the supervisor of
   47  elections prior to qualifying for office may file a copy of that
   48  disclosure at the time of qualifying.
   49         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.