District of Columbia Campaign Finance Reform and Conflict of Interest Act

Summary

District of Columbia Campaign Finance Reform Act - Title I: Short Title, Definitions - Defines the terms used in the Act. Title II: Financial Disclosures - Requires every political committee to have a chairman and treasurer, each of whom may authorize expenditures on behalf of the political committees in the District of Columbia. States that every person who receives a contribution of $10 or more for or on behalf of a political committee shall, on demand of the treasurer, and in any event within five days after receipt of such contribution, submit to the treasurer of such committee a detailed account thereof, including the amount, the name and address (including the occupation and the principal place of business, if any) of the person making such contribution, and the date on which such contribution was received. Requires the treasurer of a political committee, and each candidate, to keep a detailed and exact account of contributions and expenditures made by such committee or candidate. States that each candidate for office in the District of Columbia shall designate in writing one political committee as his principal campaign committee. Requires the treasurer of each such committee to file reports and statements of candidates designating such committee as his principal committee with the Director of Campaign Finance of the District of Columbia Board of Elections. Requires each political committee, and each candidate accepting contributions or making expenditures, to designate one national bank located in the District of Columbia as the campaign depository of that political committee or candidate. Permits the maintenance of a petty cash fund by political committees and candidates. Requires each political committee to file a statement of organization with the Director within ten days of organization and specifies the items to be included in such statement of organization. Requires individual candidates to file a registration statement with the Director. Specifies the times at which political candidates and committees shall file reports with the Director, and the disclosures to be contained in such reports. Requires contributors who contribute more than $50 within a year to a political committee or candidate to file with the Director a statement containing specified information. States that any candidate who anticipates spending or spends less than $250 in any one election, and who has not designated a principal campaign committee, shall be exempt from the provisions of this Act. Title III: Director of Campaign Finance - Establishes within the Board of Elections a Director of Campaign Finance. Enumerates the duties of the Director consonant with the purposes of and requirements established by this Act. Title IV: Finance Limitations - Enumerates maximum amounts which may be contributed and received in one year with respect to candidates running for specified offices in the District of Columbia. Enumerates maximum amounts which may be expended by any principal campaign committee for a candidate seeking a specified office. Title V: Lobbying - Requires detailed accounts of all contributions, donors, expenditures and the keeping of receipted bills for funds exceeding $10 in amount. Requires that contributions of $200 or more be reported to the organization or person for whom such contribution was received. Requires that the name and address of each person who has made a contribution of $200 or more be filed with the Director, as well as the total cumulative of contributions and expenditures during the calendar year. Requires the Director to make statements available to the public for two years from the date of filing. Enumerates those persons to whom the provisions of this Act apply. Requires the registration of information by a lobbyist under oath including the person by whom he is employed, and in whose interest he appears and information concerning duration of employment, salary and expenditures. Requires each registrant to file an annual, detailed report of all money received and expended; to whom paid; for what purposes; the names of any articles or publications; and the proposed legislation he is employed to support. Provides that any person who violates these provisions shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $5000 or imprisonment of twelve months, or both. Provides that any person convicted is prohibited from lobbying for a three year period. States that a violation of this provision is a felony punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than five years, or both. Title VI: Penalties and Enforcement Tax Credits, Use of Surplus Campaign Funds, Voters' Information Pamphlets, Study of 1974 and Report by Council, Effective Dates, Amendments to District of Columbia Election Act, and Authorization - Provides that any person or political committee in the District of Columbia who violates any of the provisions of this Act shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned up to six months or both. Provides for a tax credit of 50 percent of any contribution made to any candidate seeking any office referred to in this Act, provided such credit shall not exceed $12.50. States that, not sooner than thirty-five days nor later than twenty days prior to each election (except a run-off election), the Board shall mail to each registered qualified elector a voters' information pamphlet containing campaign statements and photographs of candidates in that election who submit information, as provided in this Act. Provides for a study of the operation and necessity for modification of this Act and the District of Columbia Election Act during 1975. Authorizes to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury to the credit of the District of Columbia, such sums as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

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Documents

3 official files

• Public Law (PDF)

  Public Law · EN · 15 August 1974

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• Public Law

  summary · EN · 14 August 1974

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 29 May 1974

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