HB 1929 -- Public Financing of Certain Election Campaigns

Sponsor:  Holsman

This bill establishes a public campaign financing system for
state elections which allows a candidate to voluntarily agree to
campaign finance limitations in exchange for public funding.  In
its main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Establishes reporting and other requirements in order for a
party or independent candidate to receive public funding for an
election campaign;

(2)  Establishes limitations on private contributions to fund an
election campaign for a participating candidate.  Specified
amounts of contributions will be allowed during the exploratory
period before a candidate qualifies for public funding;

(3)  Requires the Missouri Ethics Commission to determine by
July 1, 2013, and at least every two years thereafter, the amount
of funds to be distributed to participating candidates based on
the type of election and the type of office.  The procedures for
granting a line of credit to a candidate are specified in the
bill;

(4)  Requires a nonparticipating candidate or a person making
independent campaign expenditures to file a report with the
commission if his or her funding exceeds certain limits;

(5)  Requires a political party to file a quarterly report with
the commission using the same schedule as a candidate after
January 1 of an election year.  This provision applies to all
candidates and is not limited to expenditures of a participating
candidate;

(6)  Prohibits any person, committee, organization, or other
entity from contributing more than $5,000 per year to any state
or local political party or any of its subdivision.  This
provision applies to all candidates and is not limited to
expenditures of a participating candidate;

(7)  Prohibits a participating candidate from accepting more than
the equivalent of 5% of the public financing amount for that
office from all political parties;

(8)  Creates the Missouri Clean Election Fund to finance the
election campaigns of certified candidates for Governor, state
senator, and state representative and to pay the administrative
and enforcement costs of the commission related to these
provisions.  The fund will receive moneys from excess
contributions made during the qualifying period for public
funding; revenue from the tax checkoff that is authorized in the
bill; unspent seed money contributions of a candidate; unspent
funds distributed to a participating candidate; voluntary
donations; and moneys collected from certain fines;

(9)  Requires the State Treasurer to issue a debit card to an
eligible candidate and requires it to be used to pay all campaign
costs and expenses;

(10)  Specifies that a participating candidate who spends more
than his or her allocated amount will be subject to a civil fine
of up to 10 times the exceeded amount.  A candidate accepting
contributions in excess of the imposed limits will also be
subject to a civil fine of up to 10 times the exceeded amount.  A
candidate who knowingly violates these provisions or who
knowingly conceals information from the commission will be guilty
of a class D felony and fined up to $20,000, imprisoned for up to
five years, or both;

(11)  Establishes rules for a mass mailing by a participating
candidate;

(12)  Specifies that all commission actions may be reviewed by
any district of the court of appeals of this state;

(13)  Specifies that these provisions apply to all special and
runoff elections with time periods and deadlines as established
by the commission; and

(14)  Authorizes, beginning January 1, 2013, a check-off box for
the Missouri Clean Election Fund to be added to the individual
and corporate income tax forms.  A taxpayer may donate to the
fund by designating on the form at least $3 on an individual
return or $6 on a combined return of his or her tax refund
amount.

The bill contains a referendum clause and will be submitted to
qualified voters in November 2012.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated March 19, 2012 at 4:19 pm