Bill of the Day SB22-237, Ballot Measure Campaign Finance
Bill summary:
The bill expands the definition of “earmark” for purposes of the “Fair Campaign Practices Act” to include contributions or expenditures greater than $1,000 to support or oppose a specified ballot issue or ballot question.
Further, the bill modifies the process to determine whether an organization is an issue committee to include an examination of the organization’s pattern of conduct based upon whether the organization:
- During the combined period of the entire preceding and current calendar years current calendar year and the preceding 2 calendar years , made either contributions to one or more statewide Colorado issue committees or direct ballot issue or ballot question expenditures, in either support of or opposition to one or more statewide Colorado ballot issues or ballot questions, that exceeded 30% of the total expenditures by the organization for any purpose and in any location during the entire preceding and current calendar years;
- During the combined period of the entire preceding and current calendar years current calendar year and the preceding 2 calendar years , made either contributions to a single statewide Colorado issue committee or direct ballot issue or ballot question expenditures, in either support of or opposition to a single statewide Colorado ballot issue or ballot question, that exceeded 20% of the total expenditures by the organization for any purpose and in any location; or
- Acted as an issue committee’s funding intermediary by making contributions to an issue committee from funds earmarked for the issue committee.
Further, the bill defines “direct ballot issue or ballot question expenditure” as the spending of over $5,000 in a calendar year direct spending in support of or opposition to any single ballot issue or ballot question by a person who does not otherwise meet the requirements of an issue committee. Contributions to an issue committee are not direct ballot issue or ballot question expenditures.
Any person who makes a expends $5,000 in aggregate in a calendar year on direct ballot issue or ballot question expenditure expenditures must report to the secretary of state, and any person who makes a direct ballot issue or ballot question expenditure must disclose their name in certain communications about a ballot issue or ballot question.
Candidate Interview: Laurel Imer (Congressional District 7)
Laurel Imer joins Kim for an interview and shares her thoughts on 2000 Mules and the news regarding the Supreme Court’s imminent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Listen to the interview in the first hour. Go here to learn more about Laurel’s campaign. Go here to support her campaign.
Phil Kerpen on SB22-237 and Mask Mandates in Schools
Phil Kerpen, author and the president of American Commitment, joins Kim to discuss SB22-237 and mask mandates in schools. Listen to the interview in the second hour.