A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require training for campaign treasurers; to require an audit trail for any campaign contribution made by money order; to allow campaign expenditures to be made by any verifiable form of payment; to set a three‑year time limit before any unpaid debt in a campaign is deemed to be a contribution; to include vacancy elections and nonpartisan runoffs in the definition of "election" for purposes of contribution limits; to clarify the meaning of "qualified to receive votes on the ballot as a candidate for the office" as a precondition for certification under the public campaign financing fund; to clarify what candidates under that fund may raise and spend after filing notice of intent to participate; to provide for earlier distribution of the Judicial voter guide; to limit the use of credit cards for payment of expenditures in publicly funded judicial campaigns; to apply the scope and advisory opinion sections of Article 22A of Chapter 163 of the general statutes to articles 22B, 22d, 22E, and 22F as well; and to expressly require that organizations expending for "electioneering communications" must do so out of a segregated account that contains no money from prohibited sources and to expressly provide for detailed reporting from any such account.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 163-278.7 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(f)	Every treasurer of a political committee shall receive, prior to the election in which the political committee is involved, training from the State Board of Elections as to the duties of the office. The State Board of Elections shall provide the training both in person and through electronic means, and the treasurer may choose either method to receive the training. This subsection does not apply to a treasurer who is a candidate or to a treasurer who has previously received training conducted by the State Board of Elections. The treasurer of a political committee may designate an employee or volunteer of the committee to receive the training."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 163‑278.14(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	No entity shall give, and no candidate, committee or treasurer shall accept, any monetary contribution in excess of one hundred dollars ($100.00) unless such contribution be in the form of a check, draft, money order, credit card charge, debit, or other noncash method that can be subject to written verification. The State Board of Elections may prescribe guidelines as to the reporting and verification of any method of contribution payment allowed under this Article. For contributions by money order, the State Board shall prescribe methods to ensure an audit trail for every contribution so that the identity of the contributor can be determined. For a contribution made by credit card, the credit card account number of a contributor is not a public record."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 163‑278.8(e) reads as rewritten:
"(e)	All expenditures for media expenses shall be made by a verifiable form of payment. The State Board of Elections shall prescribe methods to ensure an audit trail for every expenditure so that the identity of each payee can be determined. All media expenditures in any amount shall be accounted for and reported individually and separately."
SECTION 4.  G.S. 163‑278.8(f) reads as rewritten:
"(f)	All expenditures for nonmedia expenses (except postage) of more than fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be made by a verifiable form of payment. The State Board of Elections shall prescribe methods to ensure an audit trail for every expenditure so that the identity of each payee can be determined. All expenditures for nonmedia expenses of fifty dollars ($50.00) or less may be made by check or by cash payment. All nonmedia expenditures of more than fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be accounted for and reported individually and separately, but expenditures of fifty dollars ($50.00) or less may be accounted for and reported in an aggregated amount, but in that case the treasurer shall account for and report that he made expenditures of fifty dollars ($50.00) or less each, the amounts, dates, and the purposes for which made. In the case of a nonmedia expenditure required to be accounted for individually and separately by this subsection, if the expenditure was to an individual, the report shall list the name and address of the individual."
SECTION 5.  G.S. 163‑278.6(6) reads as rewritten:
"(6)	The terms "contribute" or "contribution" mean any advance, conveyance, deposit, distribution, transfer of funds, loan, payment, gift, pledge or subscription of money or anything of value whatsoever, to a candidate to support or oppose the nomination or election of one or more clearly identified candidates, to a political committee, to a political party, or to a referendum committee, whether or not made in an election year, and any contract, agreement, promise or other obligation, whether or not legally enforceable, to make a contribution. These terms include, without limitation, such contributions as labor or personal services, postage, publication of campaign literature or materials, in‑kind transfers, loans or use of any supplies, office machinery, vehicles, aircraft, office space, or similar or related services, goods, or personal or real property. These terms shall also include a debt, or any portion thereof, to pay an expenditure that has been uncollected beyond the three years set in G.S. 1‑52 for its collection, although no civil or criminal liability will attach without evidence that the debtor intended to accept a contribution or the creditor intended to make a contribution, and that the contribution was unlawful. These terms also include, without limitation, the proceeds of sale of services, campaign literature and materials, wearing apparel, tickets or admission prices to campaign events such as rallies or dinners, and the proceeds of sale of any campaign‑related services or goods. Notwithstanding the foregoing meanings of "contribution," the word shall not be construed to include services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a candidate, political committee, or referendum committee. The term "contribution" does not include an "independent expenditure." If:
a.	Any individual, person, committee, association, or any other organization or group of individuals, including but not limited to, a political organization (as defined in section 527(e)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) makes, or contracts to make, any disbursement for any electioneering communication, as defined in G.S. 163‑278.80(2) and (3) and G.S. 163‑278.90(2) and (3); and
b.	That disbursement is coordinated with a candidate, an authorized political committee of that candidate, a State or local political party or committee of that party, or an agent or official of any such candidate, party, or committee that disbursement or contracting shall be treated as a contribution to the candidate supported by the electioneering communication or that candidate's party and as an expenditure by that candidate or that candidate's party."
SECTION 6.  G.S. 163‑278.13(d) reads as rewritten:
"(d)	For the purposes of this section, the term "an election" means any primary, runoff, second primary, general election, or vacancy election in which the candidate or political committee may be involved, without regard to whether the candidate is opposed or unopposed in the election, except that where a candidate is not on the ballot in a runoff or second primary, that runoff or second primary is not "an election" with respect to that candidate."
SECTION 7.  G.S. 163‑278.64(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Certification of Candidates. – Upon receipt of a submittal of the record of demonstrated support by a participating candidate, the Board shall determine whether or not the candidate has complied with all the following requirements:
(1)	Signed and filed a declaration of intent to participate in this Article.
(2)	Submitted a report itemizing the appropriate number of qualifying contributions received from registered voters, which the Board shall verify through a random sample or other means it adopts. The report shall include the county of residence of each registered voter listed.
(3)	Filed a valid notice of candidacy pursuant to Article 25 of this Chapter.
(4)	Otherwise met the requirements for participation in this Article.
The Board shall certify candidates complying with the requirements of this section as soon as possible and no later than five business days after receipt of a satisfactory record of demonstrated support."
SECTION 8.  G.S. 163‑278.64(d) reads as rewritten:
"(d)	Restrictions on Contributions and Expenditures for Participating and Certified Candidates. – The following restrictions shall apply to contributions and expenditures with respect to participating and certified candidates:
(1)	Beginning January 1 of the year before the election and before the filing of a declaration of intent, a candidate for office may accept in contributions up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) from sources and in amounts permitted by Article 22A of this Chapter and may expend up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for any campaign purpose. A candidate who exceeds either of these limits shall be ineligible to file a declaration of intent or receive funds from the Public Campaign Financing Fund.
(2)	From the filing of a declaration of intent through the end of the qualifying period, a candidate may accept only qualifying contributions, contributions under ten dollars ($10.00) from North Carolina voters, and personal and family contributions permitted under subdivision (4) of this subsection. The total contributions the candidate may accept during this period shall not exceed the maximum qualifying contributions for that candidate. In addition to these contributions, the candidate may only expend during this period the remaining money raised pursuant to subdivision (1) of this  subsection and possible rescue funds received pursuant to G.S. 163‑278.67.
(3)	After the qualifying period and through the date of the general election, the candidate shall expend only the funds the candidate receives from the Fund pursuant to G.S. 163‑278.65(b)(4) plus any funds remaining from the qualifying period and possible rescue funds.
(4)	During the qualifying period, the candidate may contribute up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) of that candidate's own money to the campaign. Debt incurred by the candidate for a campaign expenditure shall count toward that limit. The candidate may accept in contributions one thousand dollars ($1,000) from each member of that candidate's family consisting of spouse, parent, child, brother, and sister.
(5)	A candidate and the candidate's committee shall limit the use of all revenues permitted by this subsection to expenditures for campaign‑related purposes only. The Board shall publish guidelines outlining permissible campaign‑related expenditures. In establishing those guidelines, the Board shall differentiate expenditures that reasonably further a candidate's campaign from expenditures for personal use that would be incurred in the absence of the candidacy. In establishing the guidelines, the Board shall review relevant provisions of G.S. 163‑278.42(e), the Federal Election Campaign Act, and rules adopted pursuant to it, and similar provisions in other states.
(6)	Any contribution received by a participating or certified candidate that falls outside that permitted by this subsection shall be returned to the donor as soon as practicable. Contributions intentionally made, solicited, or accepted in violation of this Article are subject to civil penalties as specified in G.S. 163‑278.70. The funds involved shall be forfeited to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund.
(7)	A candidate shall return to the Fund any amount distributed for an election that is unspent and uncommitted at the date of the election, or at the time the individual ceases to be a certified candidate, whichever occurs first. For accounting purposes, all qualifying, personal, and family contributions shall be considered spent before revenue from the Fund is spent or committed."
SECTION 9.  G.S. 163‑278.69(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Judicial Voter Guide. – The Board shall publish a Judicial Voter Guide that explains the functions of the appellate courts and the laws concerning the election of appellate judges, the purpose and function of the Public Campaign Fund, and the laws concerning voter registration. The Board shall distribute the Guide to as many voting‑age individuals in the State as practical, through a mailing to all residences or other means it deems effective. The distribution shall occur no more than 14 days nor fewer than seven days before the one‑stop voting period provided in G.S. 163‑227.2 for the primary and no more than 14 days nor fewer than seven days before the one‑stop voting period provided in G.S. 163‑227.2 for the general election."
SECTION 10.  G.S. 163‑278.6(9) reads as rewritten:
"(9)	The terms "expend" or "expenditure" mean any purchase, advance, conveyance, deposit, distribution, transfer of funds, loan, payment, gift, pledge or subscription of money or anything of value whatsoever, whether or not made in an election year, and any contract, agreement, promise or other obligation, whether or not legally enforceable, to make an expenditure or to incur an obligation to pay an expenditure, to support or oppose the nomination, election, or passage of one or more clearly identified candidates, or ballot measure. Supporting or opposing the election of clearly identified candidates includes supporting or opposing the candidates of a clearly identified political party. The term "expenditure" also includes any payment or other transfer made by a candidate, political committee, or referendum committee. The special definition of "expenditure" in G.S. 163‑278.12A applies only in that section."
SECTION 11.  G.S. 163‑278.5 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑278.5.  Scope of Article; severability.
The provisions of this Article apply to primaries and elections for North Carolina offices and to North Carolina referenda and do not apply to primaries and elections for federal offices or offices in other States or to non‑North Carolina referenda. Any provision in this Article that regulates a non‑North Carolina entity does so only to the extent that the entity's actions affect elections for North Carolina offices or North Carolina referenda.
The provisions of this Article are severable. If any provision is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity does not affect other provisions of the Article that can be given effect without the invalid provision. 
This section applies to Articles 22B, 22D, 22E, and 22F of the General Statutes to the same extent that it applies to this Article."
SECTION 12.  G.S. 163‑278.23 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑278.23.  Duties of Executive Director of Board.
The Executive Director of the Board shall inspect or cause to be inspected each statement filed with the Board under this Article within 30 days after the date it is filed. The Executive Director shall advise, or cause to be advised, no more than 30 days and at least five days before each report is due, each candidate or treasurer whose organizational report has been filed, of the specific date each report is due. He shall immediately notify any individual, candidate, treasurer, political committee, referendum committee, media, or other entity that may be required to file a statement under this Article if:
(1)	It appears that the individual, candidate, treasurer, political committee, referendum committee, media, or other entity has failed to file a statement as required by law or that a statement filed does not conform to this Article; or
(2)	A written complaint is filed under oath with the Board by any registered voter of this State alleging that a statement filed with the Board does not conform to this Article or to the truth or that an individual, candidate, treasurer, political committee, referendum committee, media, or other entity has failed to file a statement required by this Article.
The entity that is the subject of the complaint will be given an opportunity to respond to the complaint before any action is taken requiring compliance.
The Executive Director of the Board of Elections shall issue written opinions to candidates, the communications media, political committees, referendum committees, or other entities upon request, regarding filing procedures and compliance with this Article. Any such opinion so issued shall specifically refer to this paragraph. If the candidate, communications media, political committees, referendum committees, or other entities rely on and comply with the opinion of the Executive Director of the Board of Elections, then prosecution or civil action on account of the procedure followed pursuant thereto and prosecution for failure to comply with the statute inconsistent with the written ruling of the Executive Director of the Board of Elections issued to the candidate or committee involved shall be barred. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit or delay the regular and timely filing of reports. The Executive Director shall file all opinions issued pursuant to this section with the Codifier of Rules to be published unedited in the North Carolina Register and the North Carolina Administrative Code.
This section applies to Articles 22B, 22D, 22E, and 22F of the General Statutes to the same extent that it applies to this Article."
SECTION 13.(a)  G.S. 163‑278.81 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑278.81.  Disclosure of Electioneering Communications.
(a)	Statement Required. – Every individual, committee, association, or any other organization or group of individuals that makes a disbursement for the direct costs of producing and airing electioneering communications in an aggregate amount in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) during any calendar year shall, within 24 hours of each disclosure date, file with the Board a statement containing the information described in subsection (b) of this section.
(b)	Contents of Statement. – Each statement required to be filed by this section shall be made under the penalty of perjury in G.S. 14‑209 and shall contain the following information:
(1)	The identification of the entity making the disbursement, of any entity sharing or exercising direction or control over the activities of that entity, and of the custodian of the books and accounts of the entity making the disbursement.
(2)	The principal place of business of the entity making the disbursement if the entity is not an individual.
(3)	The amount of each disbursement of more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) during the period covered by the statement and the identification of the entity to whom the disbursement was made.
(4)	The elections to which the electioneering communications pertain and the names, if known, of the candidates identified or to be identified.
(5)	The names and addresses of all contributors who contributed an aggregate amount of more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) during the period beginning on the first day of the preceding calendar year and ending on the disclosure date to a segregated bank account that consists of funds contributed solely by entities other than prohibited sources. Nothing in this subdivision is to be construed as a prohibition on the use of funds in such a segregated account for a purpose other than electioneering communications.
	"
SECTION 13.(b)  G.S. 163‑278.82 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑278.82.  Prohibition of corporate and labor disbursements for electioneering communications.
(a)	Prohibition. – No prohibited source may make any disbursement for the costs of producing or airing any electioneering communication. No individual, committee, association, or any other organization or group of individuals, including but not limited to, a political organization (as defined in section 527(e)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), which has received any payment from a prohibited source may make any disbursement for the costs of producing and airing any electioneering communication. For the purpose of this section, the term "electioneering communication" does not include a communication by a section 501(c)(4) organization or a political organization (as defined in section 527(e)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) if the communication is paid for exclusively by funds provided by individuals and the disbursements for costs of producing and airing the communication are paid out of a segregated bank account that consists of funds contributed solely by entities other than prohibited sources directly to that account.
(b)	Direct or Indirect Disbursement. – An electioneering communication shall be treated as made by a prohibited source if the prohibited source directly or indirectly disburses any amount for any of the costs of the communication.
(c)	Segregated Fund. – Any disbursement for an electioneering communication made from an account must be made from a segregated account into which no funds from a prohibited source have been directly or indirectly introduced."
SECTION 13.(c)  G.S. 163‑278.91 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑278.91.  Disclosure of Electioneering Communications.
(a)	Statement Required. – Every individual, committee, association, or any other organization or group of individuals who makes a disbursement for the direct costs of producing and transmitting electioneering communications in an aggregate amount in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) during any calendar year shall, within 24 hours of each disclosure date, file with the Board a statement containing the information described in subsection (b) of this section.
(b)	Contents of Statement. – Each statement required to be filed by this section shall be made under the penalty of perjury in G.S. 14‑209 and shall contain the following information:
(1)	The identification of the entity making the disbursement, of any entity sharing or exercising direction or control over the activities of that entity, and of the custodian of the books and accounts of the entity making the disbursement.
(2)	The principal place of business of the entity making the disbursement if the entity is not an individual.
(3)	The amount of each disbursement of more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) during the period covered by the statement and the identification of the entity to whom the disbursement was made.
(4)	The elections to which the electioneering communications pertain and the names, if known, of the candidates identified or to be identified.
(5)	The names and addresses of all contributors who contributed an aggregate amount of more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) during the period beginning on the first day of the preceding calendar year and ending on the disclosure date to a segregated bank account that consists of funds contributed solely by entities other than prohibited sources. Nothing in this subdivision is to be construed as a prohibition on the use of funds in such a segregated account for a purpose other than electioneering communications.
	"
SECTION 13.(d)  G.S. 163‑278.92 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163‑278.92.  Prohibition of corporate and labor disbursements for electioneering communications.
(a)	Prohibition. – No prohibited source may make any disbursement for the costs of producing or airing any electioneering communication. No individual, committee, association, or any other organization or group of individuals, including but not limited to, a political organization (as defined in section 527(e)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), which has received any payment from a prohibited source may make any disbursement for the costs of producing and airing any electioneering communication. For the purpose of this section, the term "electioneering communication" does not include a communication by a section 501(c)(4) organization or a political organization (as defined in section 527(e)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) if the communication is paid for exclusively by funds provided by individuals and the disbursements for costs of producing and airing the communication are paid out of a segregated bank account that consists of funds contributed solely by entities other than prohibited sources directly to that account.
(b)	Direct or Indirect Disbursement. – An electioneering communication shall be treated as made by a prohibited source if the prohibited source directly or indirectly disburses any amount for any of the costs of the communication.
(c)	Segregated Fund. – Any disbursement for an electioneering communication made from an account must be made from a segregated account into which no funds from a prohibited source have been directly or indirectly introduced."
SECTION 14.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2005, and applies to all contributions and expenditures made or accepted on or after that date.