Brighter Sunshine on Donations Act

Bill: 116-s-956
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2019-03-28
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Government information and archives

Political advertising
Latest action: action_date: 2019-03-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-03-28
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Brighter Sunshine on Donations Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the disclosure of certain federal campaign contributions regardless of the purpose of the contribution, subject to other requirements. Currently, reporting is generally required for a contribution over a certain amount for </p> <ul> <li>a communication expressly advocating for the election or defeat of a candidate (i.e., an independent expenditure), or </li> <li>a broadcast, cable, or satellite communication during preelection periods that refers to a candidate, but does not call for election or defeat (i.e., an electioneering communication).</li> </ul>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 956 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 28, 2019 Mr. Merkley introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration A BILL To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require the disclosure of all donations.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Brighter Sunshine on Donations Act . 2. Requiring disclosure of all donations (a) Independent expenditures Section 304(c)(2)(C) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 ( 52 U.S.C. 30104(c)(2)(C) ) is amended by striking which was made for the purpose of furthering an independent expenditure and inserting (without regard to whether such contribution was made for the purpose of furthering an independent expenditure) . (b) Electioneering communications Section 304(f)(2) of such Act ( 52 U.S.C. 30104(f)(2) ) is amended— (1) in the first sentence of subparagraph (E), by inserting (determined without regard to whether the contributions were made for the purpose of furthering an electioneering communication) after disclosure date , and (2) in subparagraph (F), by inserting (determined without regard to whether the contributions were made for the purpose of furthering an electioneering communication) after disclosure date .