SELLING POLITICAL MERCHANDISE - S.B. 623 (S-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 623 (Substitute S-1 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)

Sponsor: Senator Bill Bullard, Jr.

Committee: Government Operations

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Michigan Campaign Finance Act to require a candidate committee, a ballot question committee, or any other committee that holds or sponsors a fund-raising event or other event, to post at a fund-raising event or other event a sign indicating that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of merchandise at the event would be used for political purposes.

Before merchandise was sold at an event, a committee would have to post a sign or signs that were visible to any person approaching the sale area, before that person offered to purchase the political merchandise, and were large enough and had typeface large enough to be read by the general public from a distance of at least five feet from the sale area. The sign or signs also would have to contain information that identified the committee sponsoring or present at an event as well as the name of the candidate or ballot question that a committee supported or opposed. In addition, a sign or signs would have to include a statement that it is a violation of Michigan law either to spend more than $20 to purchase merchandise, unless certain information identifying the purchaser is recorded.

(The Act defines "committee" as a person who receives contributions or makes expenditures in order to influence or attempt to influence the action of the voters for or against the nomination or election of a candidate, or the qualification, passage, or defeat of a ballot question, if contributions received total at least $500 in a calendar year or expenditures made total at least $500 in a calendar year. An individual, other than a candidate, does not constitute a committee. A person, other than a committee registered under the Act, making an expenditure to a ballot question committee is not considered a committee for the purposes of the Act unless the person solicits or receives contributions for the purpose of making an expenditure to that ballot question committee.)

Proposed MCL 169.240 - Legislative Analyst: L. Arasim

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed: 10-9-97 - Fiscal Analyst: B. Bowerman

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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.