TELEPHONE OR ELECTRONIC CAMPAIGNING: DISCLOSURE
House Bill 4014
Sponsor: Rep. Jerry Kooiman
Committee: Government Operations
Complete to 1-31-03
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4014 AS INTRODUCED 1-28-03
The bill would amend the Michigan Campaign Finance Act to require certain disclosures to be made when campaign messages are transmitted by telephone, electronic mail, or by other electronic means.
· A communication relating to a candidate would have to clearly state the name and address of the person paying for the communication.
· If such a communication were made by an independent expenditure not authorized in writing by the candidate's candidate committee, the communication would also have to clearly state "Not authorized by any candidate committee".
· If such a communication related to a candidate and was not an independent expenditure, but was paid for by a person other than the candidate to whom it was related, the communication would have to clearly state: "Authorized by __________________ (name of candidate or candidate committee)".
The secretary of state would have to promulgate rules that would apply to visual communications of the kind governed by the bill. The rules would have to regulate the size and placement of an identification or disclaimer as required by the bill.
A person who knowingly violated the bill would be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable as provided in Section 934 the Michigan Election Law. (That section provides for punishment by a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both.)
MCL 169.248
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.