What's happening
This bill requires all campaign finance reports from political committees and candidates in New York to be filed electronically, removing previous exceptions.
Why it matters
Closes loopholes by eliminating the $1,000 minimum threshold. now even small committees and campaigns must file reports electronically, increasing transparency for all levels of political spending.
Removes local/county exceptions. no longer allows counties to opt for paper filings or to set up their own electronic systems, creating a single, standardized electronic reporting process statewide.
Limits hardship exemptions. while some committees can still be exempted from electronic filing for “substantial hardship,” these exemptions now require a sworn statement and approval from the state board, tightening oversight.
Enables easier public access and oversight. with all reports filed electronically in a central system, journalists, watchdogs, and citizens can more readily search, analyze, and monitor campaign finance activity across New York.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Online Campaign Finance Filings
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 5455a
- Amend and recommit to elections
- Referred to elections
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1084
- Referred to elections
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Online Campaign Filings
In Senate Committee · Elections · Sponsor Rebecca Seawright
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5455--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 29, 2017
Introduced by Sen. HAMILTON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections -- recommitted to the Committee on Elections in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to requiring campaign finance information of certain candidates or committees to be filed on an electronic reporting system
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivisions 4 and 5 of section 14-102 of the election law, subdivision 4 as amended and subdivision 5 as added by chapter 406 of the laws of 2005, are amended to read as follows:
4. Any committee which is required to file statements with any board of elections pursuant to this article [and which raises or spends or expects to raise or spend more than one thousand dollars in any calendar year] shall file all such statements pursuant to the electronic reporting system prescribed by the state board of elections as set forth in subdivision nine-A of section 3-102 of this chapter. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision, upon the filing of a sworn statement by the treasurer of a political committee which states that such political committee does not have access to the technology necessary to comply with the electronic filing requirements of subdivision nine-A of section 3-102 of this chapter and that filing by such means would constitute a substantial hardship for such political committee, the state board of elections may issue an exemption from the electronic filing requirements of this article.
[5. Any committee which is required to file statements pursuant to this article with county boards of elections shall file in paper format to the county board of elections or in electronic format if the legislative body of any county provides, by local law, an electronic filing
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10346-03-8
S. 5455--A 2
system and shall file such statements by electronic reporting process to the state board of elections.]
§ 2. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 14-104 of the election law, subdivision 2 as amended and subdivision 3 as added by chapter 406 of the laws of 2005, are amended to read as follows:
2. Statements filed by any political committee authorized by a candidate pursuant to this article which is required to file such statements with any board of elections [and which raises or spends or expects to raise or spend more than one thousand dollars in any calendar year] shall file all such statements pursuant to the electronic reporting system prescribed by the state board of elections as set forth in subdivision nine-A of section 3-102 of this chapter. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision, upon the filing of a sworn statement by the treasurer of a political committee authorized by a candidate pursuant to this article which states that such committee does not have access to the technology necessary to comply with the electronic filing requirements of subdivision nine-A of section 3-102 of this chapter and that filing by such means would constitute a substantial hardship for such committee, the state board of elections may issue an exemption from the electronic filing requirements of this article.
[3. Any committee which is required to file statements pursuant to this article with county boards of elections shall file in paper format to the county board of elections or in electronic format if the legislative body of any county provides, by local law, an electronic filing system and shall file such statements by electronic reporting process to the state board of elections.]
§ 3. This act shall take effect December 15, 2018.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the election law, in relation to requiring campaign finance information of certain candidates or committees to be filed on an electronic reporting system
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to require all candidates and committees, pursuant to Article 14 of the Election Law, to file campaign financial disclosure statements with the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE) by removing the $1,000 filing threshold.
Summary of provisions
Section one eliminates the one thousand dollar ($1,000) filing threshold to require all candidates or their authorized committee to electron- ically file with the NYSBOE. It also removes language requiring local and County filers to file with County Boards of Elections.
Justification
Prior to 2006, only candidates running for Statewide, State Senate, State Assembly and other State offices filed campaign financial disclo- sure reports with the New York State Board of Elections. In 2006, a law was passed to require local filers to file with the State Board of Elections if they raised or spent (or expected to) $1,000. The majority of local campaigns meet the $1,000 threshold. County Board of Elections have a minimal number of filers that still file paper at the local level. This bill would take managing campaign finance compliance off the workload of County and City Boards of Elections.
This bill would also reduce confusion when it appears that a candidate or its authorized committee may not have filed required disclosure reports. By having one centralized depository in which all reports must be filed, it provides a convenience and increased transparency to the public when they look for campaign financial disclosure reports.
Prior legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
There is a cost savings to County Boards of Elections. The State Board of Elections would have an offset cost. Local candidates who currently file a paper CF-o5 claim of exemption form with the NYSBOE would now be registering and filing with the NYSBOE. NYSBOE's intake and processing unit already has interaction with these filers.
Effective date
December 15, 2017.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.