Preliminary Draft of Proposed Rules

Office of the Colorado Secretary of State
Rules Concerning Campaign and Political Finance
8 CCR 1505-6

June 29, 2012

Disclaimer:
In accordance with the State Administrative Procedure Act, this draft is filed with the Secretary of State and submitted to the Department of Regulatory Agencies.

This is a preliminary draft of the proposed rules that may be revised before the July 31, 2012 rulemaking hearing. If changes are made, a revised copy of the proposed rules will be available to the public and a copy will be posted on the Department of State’s website no later than July 26, 2012.

Proposed additions to the current rules are reflected in small caps.
Proposed deletions from current rules are shown in stricken type.
(Annotations) may be included.

Amendments to Rule 4.3:
4.3	An issue committee shall must file on a frequent filing schedule once it has spent money to support or oppose ballot issues or ballot questions, or potential ballot issues or ballot questions on an upcoming ballot. See Rule 1.9.3 17.2.3.
Amendments to Rule 5.1.2:
5.1.2	The These requirements of paragraph (a) do not apply to bumper stickers, pins, buttons, pens, and similar small items upon which the disclaimer cannot be reasonably printed.
Amendments to Rule 6:
6.1	The appropriate filing officer for a state or county political party is the Secretary of State. Therefore, state and county political parties are subject to the requirements of section 1‑45‑109(1)(c), C.R.S., and must file reports with the Secretary of State. [Article XXVIII Section 2(1); section 1‑45‑109(1)(c), C.R.S.]
6.1.1	Repealed.
6.2	Transfers of money within a party
6.2.1	A party may transfer money from one level of the organization to another without limit.
6.2.2	Transfers of money within a party shall must be disclosed as “other income” in accordance with Rule 10.12.
6.3 	Home rule jurisdictions
6.3.1	Rule 6.1 does not apply to a political party in a home rule jurisdiction that reports in accordance with Rule 14.4.
6.3.2	If a political party receives contributions into a separate account in accordance with Rule 14.4, the party may not transfer funds from that account to other county parties or to a state party.
Amendments to Rule 16.6:
16.6	A special district candidate is not required to file disclosure reports if:
16.6.1	The special district candidate affidavit, the filed self-nomination and acceptance form or letter, or the affidavit of intent to be a write-in candidate contains a statement substantially stating, “I will not, in my campaign for this office, receive contributions or make expenditures exceeding $20 $200 in the aggregate during the election cycle, however, if I do so, I will thereafter file all disclosure reports required under the fair campaign practices act;” and
16.6.2	The candidate does not accept contributions or make expenditures exceeding $20 $200 in the aggregate during the election cycle. 
[Article XXVIII, Section 2(2) and section 1‑45‑108(1), C.R.S.]
Amendments to Rule 17.2.4:
17.2.4	An issue committee shall must notify the Secretary of State within ten days after deciding that it will support or oppose ballot issues or ballot questions, or potential ballot issues or ballot questions on an upcoming ballot.
(a)	An Once an issue committee who has notified notifies the Secretary of State of its active status under this Rule, the Secretary will place the committee on a frequent filing calendar.
(b)	Once an issue committee has declared its committee filing status as frequent or infrequent in a particular year, the committee shall must follow the appropriate filing schedule for the remainder of that calendar year election cycle, except that an inactive committee may change its status to active at any time.