DISCLOSE 2012 Act

Bill: 112-hr-4010
Sponsor: Rep. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD-8]
Introduced: 2012-02-09 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Business records
Congressional elections
Corporate finance and management
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Financial services and investments
Government information and archives
Labor-management relations
Political advertising
Political parties and affiliation
Public participation and lobbying
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2012-02-09
text: 
Disclosure of Information on Spending on Campaigns Leads to Open and Secure Elections Act of 2012 or DISCLOSE 2012 Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to redefine the term "independent expenditure" as an expenditure by a person that, when taken as a whole, expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, or is the functional equivalent of express advocacy because it can be interpreted by a reasonable person only as advocating the election or defeat of a candidate, taking into account whether the communication involved mentions a candidacy, a political party, or a challenger to a candidate, or takes a position on a candidates, qualifications, or fitness for office.
 
Expands the period during which certain communications are treated as electioneering communications.
 
Prescribes: (1) disclosure requirements for corporations, labor organizations, and certain other entities; and (2) disclaimer requirements for campaign-related disbursements and for certain communications.
 
Requires any communication transmitted through radio or television to include an individual or organizational disclosure statement, together with: (1) the Top Two Funders List of the persons providing the largest and second largest aggregate payments of $10,000 or more for a radio communication, and (2) the Top Five Funders List of the five persons providing the largest aggregate payments of $10,000 or more for a television communication.
 
Repeals the prohibition against political contributions by individuals age 17 or younger.
 
Requires a covered organization which submits regular, periodic reports to its shareholders, members, or donors on its finances or activities to include in each report, in a clear and conspicuous manner, the information included in the statements it has filed about campaign-related disbursements the organization has made during the period covered by the report.
 
Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require semiannual reports on certain election campaign contributions filed with the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Representatives by registered lobbyists (or persons or organizations required to register as lobbyists) to contain: (1) the amount of any independent expenditure of $1,000 or more made by each such person or organization, along with the name of each candidate being supported or opposed and the amount spent supporting or opposing that candidate; and (2) the amount of any electioneering communication of $1,000 or more made by such person or organization, along with the name of the candidate referred to in the communication and whether the communication involved was in support of or in opposition to the candidate.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-07-12
text: Motion to Discharge Committee filed by Mr. Van Hollen. Petition No: 112-4. (<a href="http://clerk.house.gov/112/lrc/pd/petitions/DisPet0004.xml">Discharge petition</a> text with signatures.)
action_date: 2012-02-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.
action_date: 2012-02-09
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-02-09
text: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-02-09
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-02-09
text: Introduced in House