ELECTION AD; WEBSITE S.B. 285 (S-4): FLOOR ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 285 (Substitute S-4 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)
Sponsor: Senator Michelle A. McManus
Committee: Campaign and Election Oversight
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Campaign Finance Act to do the following:
-- Require a website communication for a candidate or ballot question to identify the person paying for it and indicate whether the payment was authorized by a candidate or candidate committee.
-- Revise the disclaimer that must appear on a paid radio or television ad that relates to a candidate and is not an independent expenditure.
-- Include satellite radio ads in identifying statement and disclaimer requirements that apply to paid ads relating to an election, candidate, or ballot question.
-- Include satellite radio ads and website communications in a requirement that an advertisement state that it is paid for "with regulated funds".
-- Prohibit a person who is not subject to the Act from using the "with regulated funds" statement.
-- Limit the punishment for a violation of this section of the Act to a person who was responsible for the content of the printed matter, radio, including satellite radio, or television paid ad.
(A person who knowingly violates Section 47, which the bill would amend, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $1,000 and/or up to 93 days' imprisonment.)
MCL 169.247 Legislative Analyst: Craig Laurie
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on local government. There are no data to indicate how many offenders would be convicted of the offense. To the extent that the bill resulted in increased convictions or incarceration time, local governments would incur the costs of misdemeanor probation and incarceration in local facilities, which vary by county. Additional penal fine revenue would benefit public libraries.
Date Completed: 4-18-07 Fiscal Analyst: Lindsay Hollander
floor\sb285 Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org
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.
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. sb285/0708