SENATE BILL No. 1367

 

 

August 9, 2006, Introduced by Senator PATTERSON and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1976 PA 388, entitled

 

"Michigan campaign finance act,"

 

by amending section 47 (MCL 169.247), as amended by 2001 PA 250.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 47. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection

 

and subject to subsections  (3) and  (4) and (5), a billboard,

 

placard, poster, pamphlet, or other printed matter having reference

 

to an election, a candidate, or a ballot question, shall bear upon

 

it the name and address of the person paying for the matter. Except

 

as otherwise provided in this subsection and subject to subsections  

 

(3) and  (4) and (5), if the printed matter relating to a candidate

 

is an independent expenditure that is not authorized in writing by

 

the candidate committee of that candidate, the printed matter shall

 


contain the following disclaimer: "Not authorized by any candidate

 

committee". An individual other than a candidate is not subject to

 

this subsection if the individual is acting independently and not

 

acting as an agent for a candidate or any committee.

 

     (2) A radio or television paid advertisement having reference

 

to an election, a candidate, or a ballot question shall identify

 

the sponsoring person as required by the federal communications

 

commission,  shall  bear the name of the person paying for the

 

advertisement, and  shall be in compliance  comply with subsection

 

(3) and with the following:

 

     (a) If the radio or television paid advertisement relates to a

 

candidate and is an independent expenditure, the advertisement

 

shall contain the following disclaimer: "Not authorized by any

 

candidate".

 

     (b) If the radio or television paid advertisement relates to a

 

candidate and is not an independent expenditure but is paid for by

 

a person other than the candidate to  which it is related  whom it

 

relates, the advertisement shall contain the following disclaimer:

 

"Authorized by...................................................".

 

                 (name of candidate or name of candidate committee)

 

     (3) Subject to subsections (4) and (5), a communication on a

 

website that is in support of or opposition to the election of a

 

candidate shall identify by name the person paying for the

 

communication or, if the person making the communication maintains

 

the website, paying for the website and shall state 1 of the

 

following, as applicable:

 

     (a) If the payment is an independent expenditure, the

 


following disclaimer: "Not authorized by any candidate.".

 

     (b) If the payment is not an independent expenditure and is

 

made by a person other than a candidate committee, the

 

communication shall contain the following disclaimer:

 

"Authorized by...................................................".

 

                 (name of candidate or name of candidate committee)

 

     (4)  (3)  The size and placement of an identification or

 

disclaimer required by this section shall be determined by rules

 

promulgated by the secretary of state. The rules may exempt printed

 

matter and certain other items such as campaign buttons or

 

balloons, the size of which makes it unreasonable to add an

 

identification or disclaimer, from the identification or disclaimer

 

required by this section.

 

     (5)  (4)  Except for a candidate committee's printed matter,  

 

or  radio or television paid advertisements, or website

 

communication, each identification or disclaimer required by this

 

section shall also indicate that the printed matter,  or  radio or

 

television paid advertisement, or website communication is paid for

 

"with regulated funds". Printed matter,  or  a radio or television

 

paid advertisement, or a website communication that is not subject

 

to this act shall not bear the statement required by this

 

subsection.

 

     (6)  (5)  A person who knowingly violates this section is

 

guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than

 

$1,000.00, or imprisonment for not more than 93 days, or both.