Campaign and lobbying filers would face listed late fees

Political committees, candidates, independent spenders, and lobbyists or principals would pay late fees for specified missing filings. The provisions cover organization statements, campaign statements, exemption statements, independent-expenditure reports, earmarked-contribution reports, out-of-state reports, and lobbying statements. The stated daily fee is generally $25, with a $750 maximum for several filings. Some provisions state a $100 daily fee for the first 10 days and then a 1% daily fee, capped at 10% of the amount that should have been reported. The filing duties and fees apply only to the specific reports described in the cited sections. Fees would accrue for each day a required filing remains missing, with special 10-day and percentage-fee rules applying to the reports identified below.

Covered committees, intermediaries, agents, and out-of-state contributors would file the listed reports with the commission. Late contributions and late independent expenditures of at least $1,000, earmarked contributions, and covered out-of-state contributions or expenditures are included, subject to listed exemptions. Late contributions and late independent expenditures would generally be reported within two days. Intermediaries or agents would forward earmarked contributions within 10 days and file reports within the stated deadlines. Out-of-state reports would not apply to people or committees covered by specified state or federal filings, including committees with an organization statement on file and federal registrants. The deadlines run from receipt, the expenditure date, or the end of the applicable calendar month, as specified for each report.

Lobbyists and principals would file special reports for monthly lobbying activity and could ask the commission to reduce or waive certain late fees. The special-report rule applies when a lobbyist or principal receives or spends more than $5,000 for lobbying in a month while the Legislature is in session. The commission could reduce a quarterly-statement late fee if the filer shows no intent to file late, has had no late fee for two years, reported less than $5,000 during the period, and a reduction would not undermine the law. A filer exempt from quarterly statements could apply for a reduction or waiver without making that showing. A special report would be due within 15 days after the end of the month, and the disclosed information would also appear in the next quarterly report.