CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE related to reports of campaign contributions from continuing political committees; amending Seattle Municipal Code Sections 2.04.230 and 2.04.155.
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WHEREAS, one of the chief purposes of Seattle's Election Campaign Contributions Code is to provide information on the contributions and expenditures made by political committees to Seattle candidates and ballot propositions; and,
WHEREAS, continuing political committees that are primarily active in State campaigns and contribute little to Seattle candidates and ballot proposition committees still must file monthly reports with the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission; and,
WHEREAS, for those continuing political committees that make only a few contributions to City of Seattle candidates and ballot proposition committees, the City has determined that filing with the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission does not advance the public's knowledge to an extent that outweighs the burden on those committees; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Seattle Municipal Code Section 2.04.230, which was last amended by Ordinance 123070, is amended as follows:
2.04.230 Continuing political committee ------- ((R))reports.
A. In addition to the provisions of this section, a continuing political committee shall file and report on the same conditions and at the same times as any other committee in accordance with the provisions of Sections 2.04.160 through 2.04.210. However, continuing political committees that contribute no more than ten times the total amount of the contribution limit established under SMC 2.04.370 to candidate or ballot measure committees in any election cycle, make no other contributions or expenditures in support of or opposition to Seattle candidates or ballot measures in that election cycle, and make timely and accurate filings with the PDC, are exempt from the remainder of the filing and reporting provisions in this section 2.04.230 for that election cycle.
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Section 2. Seattle Municipal Code Section 2.04.155, which was last amended by Ordinance 123070, is amended as follows:
2.04.155 Electronic filing required -- ((E))exemption.
A. Each candidate or political committee that expects to receive or receives (($10,000)) $5,000 or more in aggregate contributions during the applicable period must file all reports required by this chapter with the City Clerk by electronic transmission of the required information. All political committees that (1) are neither ballot proposition nor candidate political committees, and (2) expect to make contributions or expect to make expenditures, including independent expenditures of $5,000 or more, in the aggregate during the applicable period, to or for the benefit of candidates or candidate political committees or to or for the benefit of ballot proposition political committees must file all reports required by this chapter with the City Clerk by electronic transmission. The electronic format of the filing and the method of transmission shall meet requirements designated in rules adopted by the Commission. In addition, each political committee that files electronically with the PDC and is not exempt from filing reports under SMC 2.04.230 must file electronically with the City Clerk.
B. The Executive Director may exempt a candidate or a committee from the requirements of this section where the candidate or the committee has shown that the requirements constitute an undue burden.
Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force 30 days from and after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.
Passed by the City Council the ____ day of ________________________, 2015, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this
_____ day of ___________________, 2015.
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President __________of the City Council
Approved by me this ____ day of _____________________, 2015.
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Edward B. Murray, Mayor
Filed by me this ____ day of __________________________, 2015.
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City Clerk
(Seal)