1998 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 499, As Amended – Student fees/political use prohibit

HOUSE BILL NO. 499, As Amended

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Daily Data Tracking History



H0499aa....................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
STUDENT FEES - POLITICAL USE - Amends and adds to existing law to prohibit
any person, governmental entity or state university or state college that
assesses mandatory student fees from expending public funds to influence
the general public on a matter appearing on an election ballot and to
provide legislative intent.

01/23    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/26    Rpt prt - to St Aff
02/19    Rpt out - to Gen Ord
02/23    Rpt out amen - to engros
02/24    Rpt engros - 1st rdg - to 2nd rdg as amen
02/25    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg as amen
02/27    3rd rdg as amen - PASSED - 46-16-8
      AYES -- Alltus, Barraclough, Barrett, Bell, Black(23), Bruneel,
      Callister, Clark, Crane, Crow, Denney, Ellsworth, Field(13),
      Field(20), Gagner, Geddes, Gould, Hadley, Henbest, Hornbeck,
      Jones(9), Jones(22), Jones(20), Kempton, Kendell, Kjellander, Kunz,
      Lake, Linford, Loertscher, Mader, McKague, Newcomb, Pischner,
      Pomeroy, Reynolds, Richman, Sali, Schaefer, Stoicheff, Stubbs,
      Tilman, Tippets, Wheeler, Wood, Zimmermann
      NAYS -- Bieter, Bivens, Boe, Chase, Cuddy, Hansen, Jaquet, Judd,
      Marley, Miller, Ridinger, Robison, Stevenson, Stone, Trail, Watson
      Absent and excused -- Black(15), Campbell, Deal, Kellogg, Meyer,
      Mortensen, Taylor, Mr Speaker
    Floor Sponsors - Altus, Sali
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/02    Senate intro - 1st rdg as amen - to St Aff

Bill Text


H0499


                                                                        
 ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
Fifty-fourth Legislature                 Second Regular Session - 1998
                                                                        

                             IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              HOUSE BILL NO. 499, As Amended

                                BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

 1                                        AN ACT
 2    RELATING TO EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS; AMENDING SECTION 67-6602, IDAHO CODE,
 3        TO ADD DEFINITIONS AND TO MAKE A TECHNICAL  CORRECTION;  AMENDING  CHAPTER
 4        66,  TITLE 67, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 67-6605, IDAHO
 5        CODE, TO PROVIDE LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS, TO PROHIBIT ANY PERSON,  GOVERNMEN-
 6        TAL  ENTITY OR STATE UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE THAT ASSESSES MANDATORY STUDENT
 7        FEES FROM EXPENDING PUBLIC FUNDS TO INFLUENCE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON A MAT-
 8        TER APPEARING ON AN ELECTION BALLOT, TO AUTHORIZE  EXPENDITURE  OF  PUBLIC
 9        FUNDS  FOR  EDUCATION  OF  THE PUBLIC ON A MATTER APPEARING ON AN ELECTION
10        BALLOT AFTER A WRITTEN RECORD OF THE EXPENDITURE IS MADE, TO REQUIRE  THAT
11        ANY  ASSOCIATION  OR  ENTITY RECEIVING PUBLIC FUNDS FOR DUES OR MEMBERSHIP
12        REFUND AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE AMOUNT OF DUES OR MEMBERSHIP EXPENDED FOR  A
13        COMMUNICATION  INTENDED  TO  INFLUENCE  THE GENERAL PUBLIC, TO PROVIDE FOR
14        PERSONAL LIABILITY FOR THE IMPROPER EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS,  TO  PRO-
15        VIDE  FOR  PROSECUTION  OF  VIOLATIONS  AND  FOR AN INJUNCTION, TO PROVIDE
16        EXEMPTIONS AND TO PROVIDE FOR REPORTING OF EXPENDITURES; AND TO PROVIDE  A
17        STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT.

18    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

19        SECTION  1.  That  Section 67-6602, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
20    amended to read as follows:

21        67-6602.  DEFINITIONS. As used in this act, the following terms  have  the
22    following meanings:
23        (a)  "Candidate"  means  an individual who has taken affirmative action to
24    seek nomination or election to public office. An individual shall be deemed to
25    have taken affirmative action to seek such nomination or  election  to  public
26    office when he first:
27        (1)  Receives  contributions  or  makes  expenditures or reserves space or
28        facilities with intent to promote his candidacy for office; or
29        (2)  Announces publicly or files for office.
30        (b)  "Compensation"  includes  any  advance,  conveyance,  forgiveness  of
31    indebtedness, deposit, distribution, loan, payment, gift, pledge  or  transfer
32    of  money  or anything of value, and any contract, agreement, promise or other
33    obligation, whether or not legally enforceable, to do any  of  the  foregoing,
34    for services rendered or to be rendered, but does not include reimbursement of
35    expenses  if  such  reimbursement does not exceed the amount actually expended
36    for such expenses and is substantiated by an itemization of such expenses.
37        (c)  "Contribution"  includes  any  advance,  conveyance,  forgiveness  of
38    indebtedness, deposit, distribution, loan, payment, gift, pledge, subscription
39    or transfer of money or anything of value, and any contract, agreement,  prom-
40    ise or other obligation, whether or not legally enforceable, to make a contri-
41    bution,  in  support of or in opposition to any candidate, political committee
42    or measure. Such term also includes personal funds or other property of a can-
43    didate or members of his household expended or transferred to  cover  expendi-


                                          2

 1    tures  incurred  in  support  of  such candidate but does not include personal
 2    funds used to pay the candidate filing fee. Such term also includes  the  ren-
 3    dering of personal and professional services for less than full consideration,
 4    but does not include ordinary home hospitality or the rendering of "part-time"
 5    personal services of the sort commonly performed by volunteer campaign workers
 6    or  advisors  or  incidental  expenses  not  in  excess of twenty-five dollars
 7    ($25.00) personally paid for by any  volunteer  campaign  worker.  "Part-time"
 8    services  for  the  purposes of this definition, means services in addition to
 9    regular full-time employment, or, in the case of an unemployed person or  per-
10    sons  engaged  in part-time employment, services rendered without compensation
11    or reimbursement of expenses from any  source  other  than  the  candidate  or
12    political  committee  for whom such services are rendered. For the purposes of
13    this act, contributions, other than money or its equivalents shall  be  deemed
14    to have a money value equivalent to the fair market value of the contribution.
15        (d)    "Education" means actions or statements which, when taken as a
16    whole, are not argumentative and do not explicitly or implicitly contend for a
17    specific result in a matter, but which fairly provide  only  factual  informa-
18    tion, contain a balanced presentation of the competing positions at issue and,
19    when taken as a whole, are neutral.
20        (e)   "Election" means any general, special or primary election.
21          (f)  "Election  ballot"  means any ballot submitted for vote by the
22    public at any primary, general, special or other election,  whether  submitted
23    statewide or at a county, district or other level. 
24        (  e  g )  "Election campaign" means any campaign in
25    support of or in opposition to a candidate for election to public  office  and
26    any campaign in support of, or in opposition to, a measure.
27        (  f   h )  "Expenditure" includes any payment, con-
28    tribution, subscription, distribution, loan,  advance,  deposit,  or  gift  of
29    money  or  anything  of value, and includes a contract, promise, or agreement,
30    whether  or  not  legally  enforceable,  to  make  an  expenditure.  The  term
31    "expenditure" also includes a promise to pay, a payment or a transfer of  any-
32    thing  of  value in exchange for goods, services, property, facilities or any-
33    thing of value for the purpose of assisting, benefiting or honoring any public
34    official or candidate, or assisting in furthering  or  opposing  any  election
35    campaign.
36        ( g  i )  "Independent expenditure" means any expen-
37    diture by a person for a communication expressly advocating the election, pas-
38    sage  or  defeat of a clearly identified candidate or measure that is not made
39    with the cooperation or with the prior consent of, or in consultation with, or
40    at the consent of, or in consultation with, or at the request of a  suggestion
41    of,  a  candidate  or  any  agent  or authorized committee of the candidate or
42    political committee supporting or opposing a measure. As used in this  subsec-
43    tion,  "expressly  advocating"  means  any  communication containing a message
44    advocating election, passage or defeat including, but not limited to, the name
45    of the candidate or measure,  or  expression  such  as  "vote  for,"  "elect,"
46    "support," "cast your ballot for," "vote against," "defeat" or "reject."
47          (j)  "Influence"  means any statements or actions which are persua-
48    sive in nature and seek a specific result in a matter and which  are  intended
49    to  or  will  likely influence those voting on the matter addressed. Influence
50    does not include the release of a brief factual statement of a public entity's
51    position on a matter appearing on an election ballot,  when  such  release  is
52    made  to  either  the  news  media or to any individual upon a request by that
53    individual. 
54        ( h  k )  "Lobby" and "lobbying" each means attempt-
55    ing through contacts with, or causing others to make contact with, members  of


                                          3

 1    the  legislature or legislative committees, to influence the approval, modifi-
 2    cation or rejection of any legislation by the  legislature  of  the  state  of
 3    Idaho or any committee thereof.
 4        (  i    l )  "Lobbyist" includes any person who lob-
 5    bies.
 6        ( j  m )  "Lobbyist's employer" means the person  or
 7    persons  by  whom a lobbyist is employed, directly or indirectly, and all per-
 8    sons by whom he is compensated for acting as a lobbyist.
 9        ( k  n )  "Measure" means any proposal, to be  voted
10    statewide, submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at an elec-
11    tion,  including any initiative, referendum or revision of or amendment to the
12    state constitution. An initiative or referendum proposal  shall  be  deemed  a
13    measure  when the attorney general reviews it and gives it a ballot title.
14        (  l   o )  "Nonbusiness entity" means any group (of
15    two (2) or more individuals),  corporation,  association,  firm,  partnership,
16    committee, club or other organization which:
17        (1)  Does not have as its principal purpose the conduct of business activ-
18        ities for profit; and
19        (2)  Received  during  the preceding calendar year contributions, gifts or
20        membership fees, which in the aggregate exceeded ten  per cent 
21         percent  (10%) of its total receipts for such year.
22        ( m  p )  "Person" means an individual, corporation,
23    association, firm, partnership, committee,  political  party,  club  or  other
24    organization or group of persons.
25        ( n  q )  "Political committee" means:
26        (1)  Any person specifically designated to support or oppose any candidate
27        or measure; or
28        (2)  Any  person  who  receives contributions and makes expenditures in an
29        amount exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) in any calendar year for  the
30        purpose  of supporting or opposing one (1) or more candidates or measures.
31        Any entity registered with the federal election commission  shall  not  be
32        considered a political committee for purposes of this chapter.
33        (  o  r )  "Political treasurer" means an individual
34    appointed by a  candidate  or  political  committee  as  provided  in  section
35    67-6603, Idaho Code.
36         (s)  "Public funds" means any money or benefit derived from consump-
37    tive  use  of  personal property, which, irrespective of its source, is in the
38    hands of or belongs to any entity of government or any departments or subdivi-
39    sions thereof. It includes mandated student fees. 
40        ( p  t )  "Public office" means any state office  or
41    position, including state senator, state representative, and judge of the dis-
42    trict court that is filled by election.

43        SECTION  2.  That  Chapter  66,  Title 67, Idaho Code, be, and the same is
44    hereby amended by the addition thereto of a  NEW SECTION  ,  to  be
45    known and designated as Section 67-6605, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:

46        67-6605.  EXPENDITURE  OF PUBLIC FUNDS. (1) The legislature finds that the
47    use of public funds to influence members of  the  general  public  on  matters
48    appearing  on an election ballot is not a proper public purpose for such funds
49    and must be forbidden.  The legislature also finds that, particularly at  col-
50    leges  and universities, the use of public funds to educate the public regard-
51    ing matters appearing on an election ballot, if done in a  fair,  neutral  and
52    balanced  manner,  may be a proper public purpose for such funds. The legisla-
53    ture further finds  that  associations,  boards  or  other  entities  must  be


                                          4

 1    required  to  refund  the amount of public money received for dues and member-
 2    ships which is expended to influence  the  general  public  regarding  matters
 3    appearing  on  an election ballot. The purpose of this section is to establish
 4    when the use of public funds for political purposes is proper and provide  for
 5    penalties,  punishment  and  enforcement whenever public funds are used in any
 6    manner not designated herein.
 7        (2)  No person, governmental entity, or state university or state  college
 8    that  assesses  mandatory student fees may expend or authorize the expenditure
 9    of public funds to influence members of the general public on a matter appear-
10    ing on an election ballot.
11        (3)  A governmental entity, state university or state college  may  autho-
12    rize the use of public funds for education of the public on a matter appearing
13    on  an  election ballot only after a written record of the expenditure is made
14    which includes the amount, the name of the  person  or  entity  receiving  the
15    expenditure and the name of the person authorizing or making such expenditure.
16    Such  record shall be retained by the governmental entity, state university or
17    state college and shall be available to the  public  pursuant  to  chapter  3,
18    title 9, Idaho Code.
19        (4)  Any  association  or  other entity receiving public funds for dues or
20    membership and which expends funds to influence the  general  public  about  a
21    matter  appearing on an election ballot shall publicly disclose a statement of
22    its revenue and expenses sufficient to disclose the expenditure of any  public
23    funds  for  such  influence.  Any such association or other entity making such
24    expenditure of public funds to so influence the general public shall refund an
25    amount equal to the amount of dues or membership fees received by the associa-
26    tion or entity in the year in which such expenditure was made.
27        (5)  In addition to the penalties provided in section 67-6625, Idaho Code,
28    any person violating the provisions of this section shall be personally liable
29    for repayment of all public funds which that  person  improperly  expended  or
30    authorized for expenditure, plus fifty dollars ($50.00).
31        (6)  Any  citizen  of  this state may prosecute violations of this section
32    and, in all cases where violation of this section is alleged and an injunction
33    is sought pursuant to section 67-6626, Idaho Code, an expedited hearing  shall
34    be  afforded.   Expenditure  of public funds in violation of the provisions of
35    this section shall create a rebuttable presumption of irreparable harm.  Costs
36    of litigation in cases prosecuted by citizens shall  be  awarded  pursuant  to
37    section 67-6626, Idaho Code.
38        (7)  Otherwise proper expenditures of public funds by elected officials in
39    the  exercise  of the duties of such office and expenditure of public funds as
40    specifically authorized by statute or other law are exempt from  the  applica-
41    tion of this section.
42        (8)  Legitimate  news  organizations operating at the state's universities
43    and colleges are exempt from the provisions of this section  when  these  news
44    organizations are providing bona fide news coverage.
45        (9)  Any  person  making an expenditure of public funds to influence those
46    eligible to vote on any election ballot, shall make  a  report  regarding  all
47    such  expenditures  at the times and in the manner set out in section 67-6607,
48    Idaho Code.

49        SECTION 3.  It is legislative intent that, if an association at a  college
50    or university expends public funds to sponsor an event intended for entertain-
51    ment,  cultural  enrichment,  or  academic lecture, and beyond the control and
52    knowledge of the association, the event is  construed  to  present  biased  or
53    nonfactual  information  which  may  influence those in attendance on a matter
54    appearing on an election ballot, then in the interest of  promoting  the  free


                                          5

 1    exchange  of  ideas at colleges and universities, the association and the col-
 2    lege or university in question shall not be liable for alleged  violations  of
 3    this section of code.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


    





                            STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                                  RS7451C1
    
    The purpose of this legislation is to codify Attorney 
    General's Opinion 6-75 relating to the expenditures of public 
    funds during elections. The language provides statutory 
    definition of those actions which the Attorney General has 
    determined are unlawful.
    
    Additionally, the attorney General's Office submitted a legal 
    guideline on January 20, 1997, further outlining the proper 
    role of public funds expended during elections.
    
    Public funds have been used appropriately to educate voters 
    about various ballot items. However, m any times the publicly 
    financed education is clearly one-sided and outside ethical 
    guidelines.
    
    This legislation provides for the proper use of public funds 
    during elections and provides for enforcement and penalties.
    
                                FISCAL NOTE
    
    None.
    
                                                     Contact: Rep. Jeff Alltus (800)626-0471 or(208)332-1000
                                                     Rep. Bill Sali  
    
    
    STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE
    
    H 499