§ 20A-11-301. Legislative office candidate -- Campaign finance requirements -- Candidate as a political action committee officer -- No personal use -- Contribution reporting deadline -- Report other accounts. (Effective 4/1/2014)

(1)

(a)

(i) Each legislative office candidate shall deposit each contribution and public service assistance received in one or more separate accounts in a financial institution that are dedicated only to that purpose.

(ii) A legislative office candidate may:

(A) receive a contribution or public service assistance from a political action committee registered under Section 20A-11-601; and

(B) be designated by a political action committee as an officer who has primary decision-making authority as described in Section 20A-11-601.

(b) A legislative office candidate or the candidate's personal campaign committee may not use money deposited in an account described in Subsection (1)(a)(i) for:

(i) a personal use expenditure; or

(ii) an expenditure prohibited by law.

(2) A legislative office candidate may not deposit or mingle any contributions or public service assistance received into a personal or business account.

(3) If a person who is no longer a legislative candidate chooses not to expend the money remaining in a campaign account, the person shall continue to file the year-end summary report required by Section 20A-11-302 until the statement of dissolution and final summary report required by Section 20A-11-304 are filed with the lieutenant governor.

(4)

(a) Except as provided in Subsection (4)(b) and Section 20A-11-402, a person who is no longer a legislative office candidate may not expend or transfer the money in a campaign account in a manner that would cause the former legislative office candidate to recognize the money as taxable income under federal tax law.

(b) A person who is no longer a legislative office candidate may transfer the money in a campaign account in a manner that would cause the former legislative office candidate to recognize the money as taxable income under federal tax law if the transfer is made to a campaign account for federal office.

(5)

(a) As used in this Subsection (5) and Section 20A-11-303, "received" means:

(i) for a cash contribution, that the cash is given to a legislative office candidate or a member of the candidate's personal campaign committee;

(ii) for a contribution that is a negotiable instrument or check, that the negotiable instrument or check is negotiated; and

(iii) for any other type of contribution, that any portion of the contribution's benefit inures to the legislative office candidate.

(b) Each legislative office candidate shall report to the lieutenant governor each contribution and public service assistance received by the legislative office candidate:

(i) except as provided in Subsection (5)(b)(ii), within 30 days after the day on which the contribution or public service assistance is received; or

(ii) within three business days after the day on which the contribution or public service assistance is received, if:

(A) the legislative office candidate is contested in a convention and the contribution or public service assistance is received within 30 days before the day on which the convention is held;

(B) the legislative office candidate is contested in a primary election and the contribution or public service assistance is received within 30 days before the day on which the primary election is held; or

(C) the legislative office candidate is contested in a general election and the contribution or public service assistance is received within 30 days before the day on which the general election is held.

(c) Except as provided in Subsection (5)(d), for each contribution or provision of public service assistance that a legislative office candidate fails to report within the time period described in Subsection (5)(b), the lieutenant governor shall impose a fine against the legislative office candidate in an amount equal to:

(i) the greater of $50 or 15% of the amount of the contribution; or

(ii) the greater of $50 or 15% of the value of the public service assistance.

(d) A fine described in Subsection (5)(c) may not exceed the amount of the contribution or the value of the public service assistance to which the fine relates.

(e) The lieutenant governor shall:

(i) deposit money received under Subsection (5)(c) into the General Fund; and

(ii) report on the lieutenant governor's website, in the location where reports relating to each legislative office candidate are available for public access:

(A) each fine imposed by the lieutenant governor against the legislative office candidate;

(B) the amount of the fine;

(C) the amount of the contribution to which the fine relates; and

(D) the date of the contribution.

(6)

(a) As used in this Subsection (6), "account" means an account in a financial institution:

(i) that is not described in Subsection (1)(a)(i); and

(ii) into which or from which a person who, as a candidate for an office, other than a legislative office for which the person files a declaration of candidacy or federal office, or as a holder of an office, other than a legislative office for which the person files a declaration of candidacy or federal office, deposits a contribution or makes an expenditure.

(b) A legislative office candidate shall include on any financial statement filed in accordance with this part:

(i) a contribution deposited in an account:

(A) since the last campaign finance statement was filed; or

(B) that has not been reported under a statute or ordinance that governs the account; or

(ii) an expenditure made from an account:

(A) since the last campaign finance statement was filed; or

(B) that has not been reported under a statute or ordinance that governs the account.

Amended by Chapter 335, 2014 General Session