Transparency of Legislative Groups' Money

Second Regular Session Seventy-fifth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED SENATE BILL 26-108 LLS NO. 26-0336.01 Caroline Martin x5902 SENATE SPONSORSHIP Weissman and Daugherty, HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Zokaie and Camacho, Senate Committees House Committees State, Veterans, & Military Affairs A BILL FOR AN ACT CONCERNING THE REPORTING OF MONEY HANDLED BY LEGISLATIVE GROUPS, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, REQUIRING EACH LEGISLATIVE GROUP TO REPORT MONEY ACCEPTED, RECEIVED, AND EXPENDED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STAFF AND REQUIRING THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STAFF TO PUBLICLY POST FINANCIAL REPORTS.

Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.) The bill requires any caucus, committee, club, organization, or Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.

Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law. Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.

group that consists of one or more legislative members and accepts, receives, or expends money (legislative group) to deliver to the legislative council staff a monthly report that lists all money that the legislative group received, accepted, or expended during the previous month. Legislative council staff is required to post each report received on a publicly accessible page on the website of the general assembly. Each legislative group is required to provide the legislative council staff with accurate contact information for the group and shall promptly inform the legislative council staff of any changes to that contact information. A legislative group that does not receive, accept, or expend any money in a month shall file a no activity report as prescribed by the legislative council staff.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-6-204 as follows: 24-6-204.

Reporting by legislative groups - receipts and expenditures - definitions. (1) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE REQUIRES:

(a) "LEGISLATIVE GROUP" MEANS ANY CAUCUS, COMMITTEE, CLUB, ORGANIZATION, OR GROUP THAT CONSISTS OF ONE OR MORE LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS AND ACCEPTS, RECEIVES, OR EXPENDS MONEY AT ANY TIME.

"LEGISLATIVE GROUP" DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY COMMITTEE, BOARD, OR COMMISSION THAT IS CREATED BY STATUTE OR LEGISLATIVE RULE, OR TO WHICH LEGISLATORS ARE APPOINTED BY LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP.

(b) "LEGISLATIVE MEMBER" MEANS A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHO IS ALSO A MEMBER OF A LEGISLATIVE GROUP.

(2) ONE LEGISLATIVE MEMBER FROM EACH LEGISLATIVE GROUP SHALL DELIVER TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STAFF, ON OR BEFORE THE TENTH DAY OF EACH MONTH SUCCEEDING A MONTH IN WHICH THE LEGISLATIVE GROUP WAS ACTIVE, A REPORT THAT INCLUDES RECEIPTS LISTING ALL MONEY AND ITEMS THAT THE LEGISLATIVE GROUP RECEIVED, ACCEPTED, OR EXPENDED DURING THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

LEGISLATIVE MEMBER SHALL DELIVER THE REPORT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STAFF IN A MANNER PRESCRIBED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STAFF.

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(3) EACH LEGISLATIVE GROUP SHALL PROVIDE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STAFF WITH ACCURATE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE GROUP AND SHALL PROMPTLY INFORM THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STAFF OF ANY CHANGES TO THAT CONTACT INFORMATION. THE CONTACT INFORMATION MUST INCLUDE THE LEGISLATIVE GROUP'S:

(a) OFFICIAL NAME;

(b) MAILING ADDRESS;

(c) PRIMARY EMAIL ADDRESS; AND

(d) DESIGNATED LEGISLATIVE MEMBER WHO IS AUTHORIZED TO SEND AND RECEIVE OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS ON BEHALF OF THE LEGISLATIVE GROUP, INCLUDING THE MEMBER'S CONTACT INFORMATION.

A RECEIPT LISTING MONEY THAT A LEGISLATIVE GROUP RECEIVED OR ACCEPTED AS REQUIRED BY SUBSECTION (2) OF THIS SECTION MUST INCLUDE, AT A MINIMUM:

(a) THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE DONOR;

(b) THE AMOUNT OF MONEY RECEIVED OR ACCEPTED; AND

(c) THE DATE THE MONEY WAS RECEIVED OR ACCEPTED.

(5) THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STAFF SHALL POST EACH REPORT RECEIVED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2) OF THIS SECTION ON A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE PAGE ON THE WEBSITE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STAFF SHALL REDACT FROM EACH REPORT THE ADDRESS OF EACH DONOR TO A LEGISLATIVE GROUP BEFORE THE REPORT IS POSTED.

(6) A REPORT REQUIRED BY SUBSECTION (2) OF THIS SECTION NEED NOT INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

(a) MONEY OR CONTRIBUTIONS THAT MUST BE REPORTED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 45 OF TITLE 1; OR

(b) MONEY APPROPRIATED THROUGH AN ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(7) ANY PERSON WHO PROVIDES A LEGISLATIVE GROUP WITH AN ITEM SHALL, AT THE TIME THE ITEM IS PROVIDED, FURNISH THE LEGISLATIVE GROUP WITH A WRITTEN STATEMENT OF THE DOLLAR VALUE OF THE ITEM.

(8) A LEGISLATIVE GROUP THAT DOES NOT RECEIVE, ACCEPT, OR EXPEND ANY MONEY IN A MONTH SHALL FILE A NO ACTIVITY REPORT AS PRESCRIBED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STAFF ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE FOLLOWING MONTH.

SECTION 2.

Safety clause. The general assembly finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.