Bill Text: CT HB06749 | 2015 | General Assembly | Comm Sub

Connecticut House Bill 6749 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: An Act Concerning Campaign Finance Reforms.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2015-05-30 - File Number 918 [HB06749 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2015-HB06749-Comm_Sub.html

General Assembly		*Substitute Bill No. 6749*
*January Session, 2015*		_____HB06749GAE___032615____

AN ACT CONCERNING EXPANSION OF PUBLIC FINANCING OF MUNICIPAL CAMPAIGNS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 9-760 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7-192a, the State Elections Enforcement Commission shall establish a pilot program for the public financing of campaigns of candidates for the municipal offices of chief executive officer, municipal clerk and legislative body member, who agree to limit campaign fund-raising and expenditures, at a municipal election in not more than [three] five municipalities. The commission shall establish an application procedure for the program and criteria for the selection of municipalities. The commission shall not select a municipality to participate in the program unless the legislative body of the municipality or, in the case of a municipality in which the legislative body is a town meeting, the board of selectmen, consents to such participation. Each municipality selected to participate shall submit an implementation plan to the commission, for its approval. Public financing under said program shall not be deemed to be public funds for the purposes of subsection (d) of section 9-610. A candidate for any such municipal office who decides not to participate in such program shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 155.

(b) At the conclusion of each municipal election cycle, the commission shall assess the performance of each participating municipality under such municipality's implementation plan for (1) sufficiency of such plan's funding mechanism, (2) efficacy of such plan's administrative apparatus, including, but not limited to, strength of enforcement, timeliness of reporting, thoroughness of auditing and adequacy of staffing and other resources, and (3) any other factor the commission may deem relevant in assessing such performance. Not later than March first of the year following each municipal election cycle, the commission shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations, including any necessary legislation, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to elections, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.