Bill Text: MI SB0172 | 2023-2024 | 102nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Campaign finance: other; automatic payroll deductions for PAC contributions; allow. Amends secs. 52, 54, 55 & 57 of 1976 PA 388 (MCL 169.252 et seq.).
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-09 - Referred To Committee On Labor [SB0172 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2023-SB0172-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL NO. 172
A bill to amend 1976 PA 388, entitled
"Michigan campaign finance act,"
by amending sections 52, 54, 55, and 57 (MCL 169.252, 169.254, 169.255, and 169.257), sections 52 and 57 as amended by 2015 PA 269 and sections 54 and 55 as amended by 2019 PA 93.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 52. (1) Except as provided in subsection (5) or (11) and subject to section 46 and subsection (8), a person other than an independent committee or a political party committee shall not make contributions to a candidate committee of a candidate for elective office that, with respect to an election cycle, are more than the following:
(a) $6,800.00 for a candidate for state elective office other than the office of state legislator, or for a candidate for local elective office if the district from which he or she the candidate is seeking office has a population of more than 250,000.
(b) $2,000.00 for a candidate for state senator, or for a candidate for local elective office if the district from which he or she the candidate is seeking office has a population of more than 85,000 but 250,000 or less.
(c) $1,000.00 for a candidate for state representative, or for a candidate for local elective office if the district from which he or she the candidate is seeking office has a population of 85,000 or less.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and subsection (12), an independent committee shall not make contributions to a candidate committee of a candidate for elective office that, in the aggregate for that election cycle, are more than 10 times the amount permitted a person other than an independent committee or political party committee in subsection (1). A house political party caucus committee or a senate political party caucus committee is not limited under this subsection in the amount of contributions made to the candidate committee of a candidate for the office of state legislator, except as follows:
(a) A house political party caucus committee or a senate political party caucus committee shall not pay a debt incurred by a candidate if that debt was incurred while the candidate was seeking nomination at a primary election and the candidate was opposed at that primary.
(b) A house political party caucus committee or a senate political party caucus committee shall not make a contribution to or make an expenditure on behalf of a candidate if that candidate is seeking nomination at a primary election and the candidate is opposed at that primary.
(3) A political party committee other than a state central committee shall not make contributions to the candidate committee of a candidate for elective office that are more than 10 times the amount permitted a person other than an independent committee or political party committee in subsection (1).
(4) A state central committee of a political party shall not make contributions to the candidate committee of a candidate for state elective office other than a candidate for the legislature that are more than 20 times the amount permitted a person other than an independent committee or political party committee in subsection (1). A state central committee of a political party shall not make contributions to the candidate committee of a candidate for state senator, state representative, or local elective office that are more than 10 times the amount permitted a person other than an independent committee or political party committee in subsection (1).
(5) A contribution from a member of a candidate's immediate family to the candidate committee of that candidate is exempt from the limitations of subsection (1).
(6) Consistent with the provisions of this section, a contribution designated in writing for a particular election cycle is considered made for that election cycle. A contribution made after the close of a particular election cycle and designated in writing for that election cycle shall must be made only to the extent that the contribution does not exceed the candidate committee's net outstanding debts and obligations from the election cycle so designated. If a contribution is not designated in writing for a particular election cycle, all of the following apply to that contribution:
(a) The contribution is considered made for the election cycle that corresponds to the date of the written instrument.
(b) The contribution limits for the current election cycle apply to that contribution.
(c) A candidate committee may use that contribution to pay outstanding debts and obligations from a previous election cycle regardless of whether the contribution, when aggregated with any contributions made in that previous election cycle, would exceed the contribution limits for that previous election cycle.
(7) A candidate committee, a candidate, or a treasurer or agent of a candidate committee shall not accept a contribution with respect to an election cycle that exceeds the limitations in subsection (1), (2), (3), (4), (11), or (12).
(8) The contribution limits in subsection (1) for a candidate for local elective office are effective on the effective date of the amendatory act that provides for those contribution limits, however, only contributions received by that candidate on and after that date shall be are used to determine if the contribution limit has been reached.
(9) A person who that knowingly violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable, if the person is an individual, by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both, or, if the person is not an individual, by a fine of not more than $10,000.00.
(10) For purposes of the limitations provided in subsections (1) and (2), all contributions made by political committees or independent committees established by any corporation, joint stock company, or domestic dependent sovereign, or labor organization, including any parent, subsidiary, branch, division, department, or local unit thereof, shall be are considered to have been made by a single independent committee. This subsection does not apply to contributions made by political committees or independent committees established by a labor organization. By way of illustration and not limitation, all of the following apply as a result of the application of this requirement:
(a) All of the political committees and independent committees established by a for profit corporation or joint stock company, by a subsidiary of the for profit corporation or joint stock company, or by any combination thereof, are treated as a single independent committee.
(b) All of the political committees and independent committees established by a single national or international labor organization, by a labor organization of that national or international labor organization, by a local labor organization of that national or international labor organization, or by any other subordinate organization of that national or international labor organization, or by any combination thereof, are treated as a single independent committee.
(c) All of the political committees and independent committees established by an organization of national or international unions, by a state central body of that organization, by a local central body of that organization, or by any combination thereof, are treated as a single independent committee.
(b) (d) All of the political committees and independent committees established by a nonprofit corporation, by a related state entity of that nonprofit corporation, by a related local entity of that nonprofit corporation, or by any combination thereof, are treated as a single independent committee.
(11) The limitation on a political committee's contributions under subsection (1) does not apply to contributions that are part of 1 or more bundled contributions delivered to the candidate committee of a candidate for statewide elective office and that are attributed to the political committee as prescribed in section 31. A political committee shall not make contributions to a candidate committee of a candidate for statewide elective office that are part of 1 or more bundled contributions delivered to that candidate committee, that are attributed to the political committee as prescribed in section 31, and that, in the aggregate for that election cycle, are more than the amount permitted a person other than an independent committee or political party committee in subsection (1).
(12) The limitation on an independent committee's contributions under subsection (2) does not apply to contributions that are part of 1 or more bundled contributions delivered to the candidate committee of a candidate for statewide elective office and that are attributed to the independent committee as prescribed in section 31. An independent committee shall not make contributions to a candidate committee of a candidate for statewide elective office that are part of 1 or more bundled contributions delivered to that candidate committee, that are attributed to the independent committee as prescribed in section 31, and that, in the aggregate for that election cycle, are more than 10 times the amount permitted a person other than an independent committee or political party committee in subsection (1).
Sec. 54. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section and section 55, and except with respect to loans made in the ordinary course of business, a corporation, joint stock company, domestic dependent sovereign, or labor organization shall not make a contribution or expenditure or provide volunteer personal services that are excluded from the definition of a contribution under section 4(3)(a).
(2) An officer, director, stockholder, attorney, agent, or any other person acting for a labor organization, a domestic dependent sovereign, or a corporation or joint stock company, whether incorporated under the laws of this or any other state or foreign country, except corporations formed for political purposes, shall not make a contribution or expenditure or provide volunteer personal services that are excluded from the definition of a contribution under section 4(3)(a).
(3) Except for expenditures made by a corporation in the ordinary course of its business, as otherwise provided for in this subsection, an expenditure made by a corporation to provide for the collection and transfer of contributions to a separate segregated fund for which it is not a connected organization as provided in section 55 constitutes an in-kind contribution by the corporation and is prohibited under this section. Expenditures made by a corporation in the ordinary course of business or to provide for the collection and transfer of contributions to a separate segregated fund established by a labor organization under section 55 do not constitute an in-kind contribution under this subsection. Advanced payment or reimbursement to a corporation by a nonconnected separate segregated fund does not cure a use of corporate resources otherwise prohibited by this section.
(4) A corporation, joint stock company, domestic dependent sovereign, or labor organization may make a contribution to a ballot question committee or independent expenditure committee subject to this act. A corporation, joint stock company, or domestic dependent sovereign , or labor organization may make an independent expenditure in any amount advocating for the election or defeat of a candidate, or the qualification, passage, or defeat of a ballot question and does not for this reason become a committee, unless it solicits or receives contributions in excess of $500.00 for the purpose of making the independent expenditure, but is subject to the independent expenditure reporting requirements of under section 51. A labor organization may make an independent expenditure in any amount advocating for the election or defeat of a candidate, or the qualification, passage, or defeat of a ballot question and does not for this reason become a committee, but the labor organization is subject to the independent expenditure reporting requirements under section 51.
(5) A person who that knowingly violates this section is guilty of a felony punishable, if the person is an individual, by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 or imprisonment for not more than 3 years or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both, or, if the person is not an individual, by a fine of not more than $10,000.00.
Sec. 55. (1) A connected organization may make an expenditure for the establishment or administration of, and solicitation, collection, or transfer of contributions to, a separate segregated fund to be used for political purposes. A connected organization may also pay actual costs related to mailing or shipping of an item or prize purchased under subsection (8). A separate segregated fund established by a connected organization under this section must be organized as a political committee or an independent committee, and, in addition to any other disbursements not restricted or prohibited by law, must only make contributions to, and expenditures on behalf of, candidate committees, ballot question committees, political party committees, political committees, independent expenditure committees, independent committees, and other separate segregated funds.
(2) Contributions for a separate segregated fund established by a corporation, organized on a for profit basis, or a joint stock company under this section may be solicited from any of the following persons or their spouses:
(a) Stockholders of the corporation or company.
(b) Officers and directors of the corporation or company.
(c) Employees of the corporation or company who have policy making, managerial, professional, supervisory, or administrative nonclerical responsibilities.
(3) Contributions for a separate segregated fund established under this section by a corporation organized on a nonprofit basis may be solicited from any of the following persons or their spouses:
(a) Members of the corporation who are individuals.
(b) Stockholders or members of members of the corporation.
(c) Officers or directors of members of the corporation.
(d) Employees of the members of the corporation who have policy making, managerial, professional, supervisory, or administrative nonclerical responsibilities.
(e) Employees of the corporation who have policy making, managerial, professional, supervisory, or administrative nonclerical responsibilities.
(4) Contributions for a separate segregated fund established under this section by a labor organization may be solicited from any of the following persons or their spouses:
(a) Members of the labor organization who are individuals.
(b) Officers or directors of the labor organization.
(c) Employees of the labor organization who have policy making, managerial, professional, supervisory, or administrative nonclerical responsibilities.
(5) Contributions for a separate segregated fund established under this section by a domestic dependent sovereign may be solicited from an individual who is a member of any domestic dependent sovereign.
(6) Contributions must not be obtained for a separate segregated fund established under this section by use of coercion or physical force, by making a contribution a condition of employment or membership, or by using or threatening to use job discrimination or financial reprisals. A Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a connected organization shall not solicit or obtain contributions for a separate segregated fund established under this section from an individual described in subsection (2), (3), (4), or (5) on an automatic or passive basis, including, but not limited to, a payroll deduction plan or reverse checkoff method. A connected organization may solicit or obtain contributions for a separate segregated fund established under this section from an individual described in subsection (2), (3), (4), or (5) on an automatic basis, including, but not limited to, a payroll deduction plan, only if the individual who is contributing to the fund affirmatively consents to the contribution. Affirmative consent does not expire until revoked by the individual who provided the affirmative consent.
(7) A contribution by an individual to a separate segregated fund may be collected by or made payable first to a connected organization of the separate segregated fund, for subsequent transfer to the separate segregated fund if all of the following occur:
(a) For contributions that are aggregated with dues or other payments, the individual making the contribution does either of the following:
(i) Specifically indicates in a record or electronic record that the amount collected, or a specified portion of the total amount if remitted as part of a dues or other payment to the connected organization, is a contribution to the separate segregated fund.
(ii) Fails to return a record or electronic record described in subparagraph (i), but remits payment to the connected organization in response to a specifically requested amount that includes a solicited contribution, the solicitation for a contribution was clearly distinguishable from any dues or other fees requested as part of the total, and the connected organization maintains a record or electronic record of the solicitation that includes the amount of the solicited contribution and the amount of any dues or other fees charged in conjunction with the solicitation for each contributor.
(b) The connected organization transfers the entire specified amount of any contribution, individually or aggregated with other contributions, for deposit to the separate segregated fund electronically or by written instrument.
(c) The connected organization reports all information required under section 26 for each individual contributor, and a transfer of contributions for deposit to the separate segregated fund by a connected organization described in subsection (12)(a)(ii) must be accompanied by or logically associated with a record or electronic record that sets forth all required information for each individual whose contribution is transferred.
(d) The connected organization and the separate segregated fund have a written policy governing the handling, accounting, and transfer of any contribution under this subsection.
(e) In connection with an investigation or hearing under section 15 regarding any contributions under this subsection, the connected organization voluntarily agrees to make available to the secretary of state any records described in subdivisions (a) to (d) and provides those records at the request of the secretary of state.
(8) In addition to any other expenditures or disbursements allowed under subsection (1), a connected organization may make an in-kind contribution to pay costs for a prize, or 1 or more items to be sold or offered in exchange for a contribution, as part of fundraising activities for the separate segregated fund. Any in-kind contribution for payment of costs by the connected organization for a prize or per individual item to be sold or offered in exchange for a contribution must not be disproportionately valuable related to the amount raised by that prize or the amount to be raised or contributed per individual item sold or offered. It is not a violation of this subsection if the connected organization makes an in-kind contribution for a payment of costs under this subsection that is disproportionately valuable and the separate segregated fund reimburses at least the impermissible portion to the connected organization within 60 days of the payment, or as directed by the secretary of state under section 15. An in-kind contribution for a payment of costs under this subsection is disproportionately valuable unless both of the following apply:
(a) The in-kind contribution is equal to or less than $5.00 per prize or per individual item to be sold or offered in exchange for a contribution.
(b) The in-kind contribution is equal to or less than 10% of the total amount raised by the prize, or if the payment of costs per item sold or offered in exchange for a contribution is equal to or less than 10% of the amount to be raised per individual item sold or offered.
(9) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (8) and (11), a person who that knowingly violates this section is guilty of a felony punishable, if the person is an individual, by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 or imprisonment for not more than 3 years or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both, or, if the person is not an individual, by a fine of not more than $10,000.00.
(10) If a connected organization that obtains contributions for a separate segregated fund from individuals described in subsection (2), (3), (4), or (5) pays to 1 or more of those individuals a bonus or other remuneration for the purpose of reimbursing those contributions, then that connected organization is subject to a civil fine of not more than 2 times the total contributions obtained from all individuals for the separate segregated fund during that calendar year.
(11) If a violation of this section results solely from the failure of a connected organization to transfer 1 or more contributions, that connected organization is not guilty of a felony as described in subsection (9), but shall notify the contributor of the failure to transfer the contribution and refund the full amount of the contribution to the contributor if requested. The penalties described in subsection (9) apply to any other violation of this section, including use or diversion of any contributions by a connected organization before those contributions are transferred to the separate segregated fund under subsection (7).
(12) As used in this section:
(a) "Connected organization" means either of the following:
(i) A corporation organized on a for-profit or nonprofit basis, a joint stock company, a domestic dependent sovereign, or a labor organization formed under the laws of this or another state or foreign country.
(ii) A member of any entity under subparagraph (i) that is not an individual and that does not maintain its own separate segregated fund, unless its separate segregated fund and the separate segregated fund of the entity of which it is a member are treated as a single independent committee as provided in section 52(10).
(b) "Record" and "electronic record" mean those terms as defined in section 2 of the uniform electronic transactions act, 2000 PA 305, MCL 450.832.
(c) "Written instrument" means a money order, or a check, cashier's check, or other negotiable instrument, as those terms are defined in section 3104 of the uniform commercial code, 1962 PA 174, MCL 440.3104, in the name of the connected organization and payable to the separate segregated fund.
Sec. 57. (1) A public body or a person acting for a public body shall not use or authorize the use of funds, personnel, office space, computer hardware or software, property, stationery, postage, vehicles, equipment, supplies, or other public resources to make a contribution or expenditure or provide volunteer personal services that are excluded from the definition of contribution under section 4(3)(a). The prohibition under this subsection includes, but is not limited to, using or authorizing the use of public resources to establish or administer a payroll deduction plan to directly or indirectly collect or deliver a contribution to, or make an expenditure for, a committee. Advance payment or reimbursement to a public body does not cure a use of public resources otherwise prohibited by this subsection. This subsection does not apply to any of the following:
(a) The expression of views by an elected or appointed public official who has policy making responsibilities.
(b) Subject to subsection (3), (2), the production or dissemination of factual information concerning issues relevant to the function of the public body.
(c) The production or dissemination of debates, interviews, commentary, or information by a broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, or other periodical or publication in the regular course of broadcasting or publication.
(d) The use of a public facility owned or leased by, or on behalf of, a public body if any candidate or committee has an equal opportunity to use the public facility.
(e) The use of a public facility owned or leased by, or on behalf of, a public body if that facility is primarily used as a family dwelling and is not used to conduct a fund-raising event.
(f) An elected or appointed public official or an employee of a public body who, when not acting for a public body but is on his or her own personal time, is expressing his or her own personal views, is expending his or her own personal funds, or is providing his or her own personal volunteer services.
(g) If advance payment or reimbursement is made to cover the cost of the use of public resources, using or authorizing the use of public resources to establish or administer a payroll deduction plan to directly or indirectly collect or deliver a contribution to, or make an expenditure for, a committee.
(2) If the secretary of state has dismissed a complaint filed under section 15(5) alleging that a public body or person acting for a public body used or authorized the use of public resources to establish or administer a payroll deduction plan to collect or deliver a contribution to, or make an expenditure for, a committee in violation of this section, or if the secretary of state enters into a conciliation agreement under section 15(10) that does not prevent a public body or a person acting for a public body to use or authorize the use of public resources to establish or administer a payroll deduction plan to collect or deliver a contribution to, or make an expenditure for, a committee in violation of this section, the following apply:
(a) The complainant or any other person who resides, or has a place of business, in the jurisdiction where the use or authorization of the use of public resources occurred may bring a civil action against the public body or person acting for the public body to seek declaratory, injunctive, mandamus, or other equitable relief and to recover losses that a public body suffers from the violation of this section.
(b) If the complainant or any other person who resides, or has a place of business, in the jurisdiction where the use or authorization of the use of public resources occurred prevails in an action initiated under this subsection, a court shall award the complainant or any other person necessary expenses, costs, and reasonable attorney fees.
(c) Any amount awarded or equitable relief granted by a court under this subsection may be awarded or granted against the public body or an individual acting for the public body, or both, that violates this section, as determined by the court.
(d) A complainant or any other person who resides, or has a place of business, in the jurisdiction where the use or authorization of the use of public resources occurred may bring a civil action under this subsection in any county in which venue is proper. Process issued by a court in which an action is filed under this subsection may be served anywhere in this state.
(2) (3) Except for an election official in the performance of his or her the election official's duties under the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992, a public body, or a person acting for a public body, shall not, during the period 60 days before an election in which a local ballot question appears on a ballot, use public funds or resources for a communication by means of radio, television, mass mailing, or prerecorded telephone message if that communication references a local ballot question and is targeted to the relevant electorate where the local ballot question appears on the ballot.
(3) (4) A person who that knowingly violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable, if the person is an individual, by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both, or if the person is not an individual, by 1 of the following, whichever is greater:
(a) A fine of not more than $20,000.00.
(b) A fine equal to the amount of the improper contribution or expenditure.
