970 CMR, § 2.19 - Reporting of Ballot Question Expenditures by Individuals, or by Corporations, Associations, Organizations or Other Groups of Persons
(1) A corporation, association, organization
or other group of persons, other than a political committee, or an individual
which makes an expenditure to influence or affect the vote on a ballot question
must file a report disclosing the expenditure, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 55, §
22, unless such expenditures:
(a) are made for
campaign materials such as signs or literature, and the materials are not
distributed prior to the relevant election;
(b) are made for campaign materials and the
purchase takes place more than six months prior to distribution, in which event
the disclosure may take place at the time of distribution, rather than at the
time the expenditure was made; or
(c) are contributions to a ballot question
committee.
(2) For
purposes of completing a report of expenditures pursuant to M.G.L. c. 55,
§ 22, an expenditure must be disclosed when a promise to pay is made or a
liability is incurred. Subsequent expenditures made to retire the liability do
not also have to be disclosed, unless paid by a person other than the person or
entity that filed the report that initially disclosed the promise to pay or
liability.
(3) For purposes of
filing the reports required by M.G.L. c. 55, § 22, the ending date for a
report required to be filed 60 days before an election to disclose expenditures
made in connection with a question that appears on ballots at a state election
shall be the preceding fifth day from the date the report is due.
(4) A political committee, other than a
ballot question committee, which files reports with the Director, may make
expenditures to influence or affect a ballot question that appears on the
ballot at a city or town election or that appears on the ballot for use in a
city or town at a state election.
(a) If the
amount of any such expenditure equals or exceeds $250, the committee must, in
addition to disclosing the expenditure in the committee's campaign finance
report filed with the Director, also file a report of the expenditure with the
city or town clerk in the city or town in which the question is on the
ballot.
(b) The report of ballot
question expenditures filed with the city or town clerk must be filed according
to the schedule applicable for reporting of expenditures relating to questions
appearing on the ballot for use in a city or town at a state election, as
specified in M.G.L. c. 55, § 22.
(5) A political committee, other than a
ballot question committee, which files reports with a city or town clerk, may
make expenditures to influence or affect a ballot question that appears on the
ballot at a state election.
(a) If the amount
of any such expenditure equals or exceeds $250, the committee must, in addition
to disclosing the expenditure in the committee's campaign finance report filed
with the city or town clerk, also file a report of the expenditure with the
Director.
(b) The report of ballot
question expenditures filed with the Director must be filed according to the
schedule applicable for questions that appear on ballots at a state election,
as specified in M.G.L. c. 55, § 22 and must be filed electronically, in
accordance with M.G.L. c. 55, § 18C.
Notes
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