reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VII - Reports (§§ 627 — 627l) › § 627d - Broadcasting media expenditure control

(a) Any expenditure made by a party at the central level to support or oppose the nomination, candidacy or election of any candidate for Governor, his/her platform or the platform of his/her party, shall be deemed to be drawn against the limit available to a political party or its candidate for Governor or an independent candidate for Governor under § 629a of this title.
(b) Any person or group of persons not affiliated and not contributing with a political party, campaign committee or authorized committee of a candidate, aspirant or party, and who independently solicits or accepts contributions and gifts or makes independent expenditures for the benefit of a party, ideology, aspirant or candidate shall publicly disclose and specify that such expenditure has not been approved by the party, aspirant or candidate or his/her committees in question or coordinated with the party, aspirant or candidate or his/her committees.
(c) Any oral and/or visual or written communication whereby gifts or contributions are solicited or accepted or whereby independent expenditures are incurred to the benefit of a party, ideology, aspirant or candidate shall indicate clearly and unequivocally that the activity has been carried out or that the advertisement has been placed without the authorization of the benefited party, aspirant or candidate or his/her committees or coordinated with the party, aspirant or candidate or his/her committees.
(d) This section shall apply to any expenditures made that fail to comply with the provisions herein and which shall be deemed drawn against the spending limit of the political party, aspirant or candidate supported by the person or group of persons concerned or to which they are affiliated, including if an independent campaign fails to comply with the requirements herein provided; and the expenditures thereof shall be deemed as corresponding to the supported party, aspirant, candidate, option or ideology. However, the political party or independent candidate for Governor may refute such presumption following the procedure approved by the Election Comptroller to such purposes.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 8.004; renumbered as § 7.004 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 50.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VII - Reports (§§ 627 — 627l) › § 627e - Broadcasting media use

The Office of the Election Comptroller shall update the impact of the inflation factor on mass communication media one (1) year before the date in which a general election is to be held. For such purposes, the appropriate study shall be conducted and submitted to the Governor and the Legislative Assembly of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Radio and television stations owned by the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall not be used by any political party for political-partisan purposes. However, at the Election Comptroller’s request, such stations shall be required to provide him/her with a spot within their programming from July to November of a general election year to advise, on equal conditions, natural persons, candidates, aspirants, political parties, media outlets, juridical persons, and other entities regulated by this chapter, on the Political Campaign Financing Oversight conducted by the Office of the Election Comptroller. The Office of the Election Comptroller shall prescribe through regulations and in coordination with radio and television stations of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico the form and manner in which spots shall be provided for the use established herein.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 8.005; July 3, 2012, No. 135, § 23; renumbered as § 7.005 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 51.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VII - Reports (§§ 627 — 627l) › § 627f - Electioneering communications; disclosure—Report requirement

Any person who does not usually file reports with the Office of the Election Comptroller, and who makes a disbursement that, by itself or in the aggregate, exceeds five thousand dollars ($5,000) to defray the direct expenditures of producing and distributing electioneering communications during any calendar year shall file with the Election Comptroller a report containing the information required in subsection (a) below. Such report shall be filed not later than twenty- four (24) hours after the “disclosure date”, as such term is defined.
(a) Report content.— Any report required under this section shall be filed under penalty of perjury and shall contain the following information:
(1) The name, address, and telephone number of the person who made or shall make the disbursement, and of the organizations related thereto, as well as the name, address, and telephone number of any person that shares or dwells at the address of the person who made or shall make the disbursement, and the name, address, and telephone number of the guardian or guardians of the accounting records or books of the person who made or shall make the disbursements;
(2) the address of the main place of business of the person who made or shall make the disbursement, if other than a natural person;
(3) the amount and date of each disbursement exceeding two hundred dollars ($200);
(4) the election, referendum, plebiscite, or consultation to which the disbursement pertains and, if applicable, the names of the candidates identified or to be identified, as well as the office they are running for, and
(5) the names and addresses of all the persons that made a contribution to the person who files the report to defray electioneering communications, subject to being included in the report during the calendar year prior to the date of the report, of an amount that totals or exceeds five hundred dollars ($500), whether by itself on in the aggregate.
(b) Disclosure date.— For the purposes of this section, the term “disclosure date” shall mean:
(1) The first date in a calendar year in which a person made a disbursement to defray the direct costs of production and distribution of electioneering communications which, by itself, exceeds or aggregates five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(2) Any other subsequent date on which a person has made a disbursement to defray the direct costs of production and distribution of electioneering communications which, by itself, exceeds or aggregates five thousand dollars ($5,000) since the most recent disclosure date for such year.
(c) Coordination with other requirements.— The report required by this section is independent from and additional to any other report required by this chapter.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 8.006; July 3, 2012, No. 135, § 24; renumbered as § 7.006 on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 52.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VII - Reports (§§ 627 — 627l) › § 627g - Publication and distribution of communications; prohibition on discrimination by the written press

Whenever a political action committee makes a disbursement to fund any communication through any radio or television station, cable or satellite television, the Internet, through computers, newspapers, magazines, billboards or direct mail to five hundred (500) people or more of the same type of message, or any other type of political advertisement targeted to the general public, or when a person makes a disbursement to fund an announcement for election-related purposes or to finance an electioneering communications, as such term is defined in § 621 of this title, such communication shall contain the following:
(a) If the communication was coordinated, paid, and/or authorized by a party, aspirant, candidate, campaign committee or committee authorized by such party, candidate, aspirant or its agents, the communication shall indicate that it has been coordinated, paid, and/or authorized by such party, aspirant, candidate, campaign committee or authorized committee.
(b) If the announcement was paid by other persons, but authorized by a party, aspirant or candidate or by a campaign committee or committee authorized by such party, aspirant, candidate or its agents, the communication shall indicate that it has been paid by such persons and authorized by such party, aspirant, candidate, and his/her committees.
(c) If the communication was not authorized by a party, aspirant or candidate or by the campaign committee or authorized committee of said party, aspirant or candidate or their agents, the communication shall clearly indicate the name, street address, and Website address of the person who paid for the communication and shall clearly indicate that it was not authorized by the candidate, aspirant, party, and its committees.
(d) No person who sells spots on television, radio, cable or satellite television, or space in newspapers, magazines, the Internet, or billboards to a party, aspirant, or candidate, or his/her committees, or the agent of the party, aspirant, or candidate for the purposes of their campaign may charge a rate for using such spot for other purposes.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 8.007; renumbered as § 7.007 on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 52.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VII - Reports (§§ 627 — 627l) › § 627h - Specifications

Any written communication required by § 627g of this title shall:
(a) Be in a sufficiently large font size to be clearly read by the recipient of such communication; and
(b) be printed with color contrast, so as to distinguish the background from the rest of the communication.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 8.008; renumbered as § 7.008 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 53.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VII - Reports (§§ 627 — 627l) › § 627i - Communications made by candidates or authorized persons

(a) Through radio, television, or any other audiovisual media.— Any communication described in § 627g of this title that is broadcast through radio, in addition to meeting the requirements of said section, shall include the following audio statement: “name of the person or committee that paid for the communication and the name of any organization related to such person or committee responsible for the content of the message.
(b) Through television.— Any communication described in § 627g of this title that is broadcast through television shall, in addition to complying with the requirements of said section, include a statement by the aspirant or candidate that identifies him/her and indicates that he/she has approved the communication, if it were the case. Such statement shall be made through:
(1) A full screen image of the aspirant or candidate showing him/her making the statement; or a picture of the aspirant or candidate synchronized with the audio statement;
(2) the statement shall also appear in writing during the last four seconds of the communication in a clear and readable printed statement distinguished from the background of the communication, and
(3) the following audio statement shall be included: “name of the person or committee that shall pay for the communication and the name of any organization related to such person or committee responsible for the content of the message”.
These requirements shall be equally applied to any proselytizing communication broadcast over the Internet.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 8..009; July 3, 2012, No. 135, § 25; renumbered as § 7.009 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 54.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VII - Reports (§§ 627 — 627l) › § 627j - Electronic filing software

The Office of the Election Comptroller shall promulgate the standards to be used to develop and use computer software that:
(a) Allows committees to keep an account of contributions and expenditures and transmit it immediately to the Office of the Election Comptroller.
The Election Comptroller shall provide a copy of such computer software to any person required under this chapter to file reports with the Office of the Election Comptroller.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 8.010; renumbered as § 7.010 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 55.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VII - Reports (§§ 627 — 627l) › § 627k - Formal reporting requirements; electronic filing

Every natural or juridical person, as well as every committee, shall file the reports required by this chapter in the electronic format approved and provided by the Office of the Election Comptroller. The Election Comptroller may exempt a person or committee from the electronic filing requirement on a case-by-case basis, and only when it is proven that such person or committee lacks the capacity to file the reports using the format approved or provided by the Office of the Election Comptroller. The electronic format shall:
(a) Be produced by a software provided by the Office of the Election Comptroller that generates electronic files in the format approved by the Office of the Election Comptroller; or
(b) be an online system provided or approved by the Office of the Election Comptroller.
It shall not be necessary to submit a hard copy of any report filed electronically.
The Election Comptroller shall be responsible for ensuring that all electronically filed reports are available to the public once the same have been evaluated, as requested by the interested party. In the specific case of last-minute contributions reports, these shall be made available to the public in the same manner. The Office of the Election Comptroller shall be responsible for keeping a record of these requests.
The Office of the Election Comptroller shall keep all the information filed electronically for a term of ten (10) years, starting on the filing date.
The Office of the Election Comptroller shall provide on its webpage a list of the persons that have met the report filing requirement.
Any report not filed electronically shall be filed in those reports designed and adopted by the Office of the Election Comptroller through regulations.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 8.011; July 3, 2012, No. 135, § 26; renumbered as § 7.011 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 56.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VII - Reports (§§ 627 — 627l) › § 627l - Collection reports and/or pending expenditure assessments

Collection reports duly filed and pending expenditure assessments that are in process prior to the effective date of this act and pertaining to candidates for the office of Governor and political parties shall be transferred to the Office of the Election Comptroller so that a final determination may be issued in accordance with the provisions of the applicable laws at the time of the filing of such requests. However, in case that a recommendation is benefited under the procedural provisions of this chapter, which would have otherwise resulted in a claim should the provisions of previous laws have been applied, the Office of the Election Comptroller shall then act on such recommendation pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or the regulation adopted thereunder.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 8.012; renumbered as § 7.012 on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 57.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VIII - Election Fund (§§ 628 — 628e) › § 628 - Election fund for administrative expenses

A special fund is hereby created in the accounts of the Department of the Treasury to be denominated as the Election Fund for Administrative Expenses. The Department of the Treasury is hereby appropriated, from any funds available in the General Fund, the necessary amount for the financing, implementation, administration, and operation thereof.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 9.000; renumbered as § 8.000 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 58.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VIII - Election Fund (§§ 628 — 628e) › § 628a - Participation

It shall be understood that a political party avails itself of the benefits of the Election Fund for Administrative Expenses from the date its Central Governing Body, through its president or secretary, so requests under oath to the Office of the Election Comptroller. Said application shall be enclosed with a certification of the bank account to be used by the party for such purposes. The party shall be entitled to access the Election Fund for Administrative Expenses after it certifies to the Office of the Election Comptroller that it has raised one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in the preceding calendar year of the Election Fund it wishes to access. Not later than the business day following the filing of the application with the Office of the Election Comptroller, the latter shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury that such requirement has been met. The certification shall be submitted to the Office of the Election Comptroller on or before December 31 st of each year to have access to the election fund of the following year; however, to have access to the 2015 Election Fund, political parties shall have until March 31 st, 2015 to certify the amount required by this chapter. Once it is thus certified and the political party complies with the certification of funds raised, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make the fund immediately available, and allow said party to access the Election Fund for Administrative Expenses, as provided in this subchapter.
The funds raised by political parties as certified to the Office of the Election Comptroller must be private funds raised by the political party certifying it. Neither public fund balance available to political parties in the Election Fund at the time of filing the certification with the Office of the Election Comptroller nor the matching fund system established in this chapter shall be taken into account for such purposes.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 9.001; Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, renumbered as § 8.001 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 59.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VIII - Election Fund (§§ 628 — 628e) › § 628b - Authorized amount

During non-general-election years, each registered political party that has met or complied with the procedure established in § 628a of this title, may annually draw up to four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) from the Election Fund for Administrative Expenses. Likewise, during the election year, up to six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) may be drawn against such Fund. The limits set forth in § 628c of this title shall not apply to the amount appropriated during an election year, and any expenditure related to the political party in question may be drawn against it. The surplus from previous years may not be drawn against. In the event that an unregistered party or a party that has lost its registration is registered, or meets the minimum fundraising requirement after December 31 st of the preceding year, the amount available to such party shall be prorated according to the time remaining until the end of the current year. It shall be the responsibility of the Office of the Election Comptroller to audit this fund as provided by regulations.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 9.002; Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, renumbered as § 8.002 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 60.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VIII - Election Fund (§§ 628 — 628e) › § 628c - Use of the Election Fund for Administrative Expenses

The Election Fund for Administrative Expenses shall be used to defray administrative expenses directed to support the general operations of the parties, including, but not limited to general office expenses such as the salary of employees and contractors, the rent of real and personal property, acquisition of real property by means of purchase, telephone, cable or satellite television, regular or electronic mail, courier services, utilities, travel and representation expenses, office equipment, institutional advertisements such as call for meetings and assemblies; notices to render aspirations and candidacies official and to hold positions within the party structure during the reorganization thereof; printing of programs and publications, distribution and transportation of institutional material, such as handouts, recordings, symbols, flags, films; institutional expenditures in connection with conventions, assemblies, and the registration and transportation of voters in Puerto Rico. This fund shall not be used to make expenditures in connection with any candidate’s campaign. A registered party may acquire, and have absolute ownership of only one real property, which shall be the seat of the party headquarters.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 9.003; Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, renumbered as § 8.003 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 61.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VIII - Election Fund (§§ 628 — 628e) › § 628d - Property acquired with the Resources of the Fund for Administrative Expenses

Any real or personal property acquired with resources of the Election Fund for Administrative Expenses shall belong to the People of Puerto Rico in the proportion of the matching fund that has been used. In the event that a party ceases to exist, the property acquired with money from the Election Fund for Administrative Expenses shall be identified and returned to the Election Comptroller to be transferred to the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico within thirty (30) days as of: (1) the time in which the State Election Commission issues the certification of the results of the general election in which the party has been rendered unregistered; or (2) the time in which the president or the highest ranking official of the party issues a certification stating that the party has ceased to exist. The manner in which this provision shall be implemented with regard to property acquired with matching funds shall be established by regulations. Noncompliance with this section shall entail a penalty amounting to the total value of the property acquired with matching funds not returned plus legal interest. However, the Office of the Election Comptroller or the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico may choose not to receive the returned property if it would be a burden or entail losses to the Treasury. In these cases, the party that has been rendered unregistered shall keep exclusive ownership of the property and the obligations it has assumed notwithstanding any actions that the Office of the Election Comptroller or the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico may initiate to recover the public investment in connection with said property.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 9.004; Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, renumbered as § 8.004 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 62.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter VIII - Election Fund (§§ 628 — 628e) › § 628e - Recordkeeping of expenditures

Any party drawing against the Election Fund for Administrative Expenses shall keep a full and detailed accounting of every expenditure made and charged to such Fund and include, as an attachment to the statement of contributions and expenditures required under § 627 of this title, an itemization of expenses including the dates thereof, full name and address of the person to whom the payment was made, as well as the purpose of such payment. The Secretary of the Treasury shall not authorize any disbursement chargeable to the Election Fund until the provisions of this section are complied with.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 9.005; Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, renumbered as § 8.005 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 63.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter IX - Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing (§§ 629 — 629i) › § 629 - Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing

A joint responsibility system with citizen participation to finance the expenditures of political party campaigns and candidates for Governor and of independent candidates for Governor is hereby established with the creation of a Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing. Said Fund shall be nourished by private and public resources. This fund shall require that the parties, as well as the candidates who opt to avail themselves of this financing system, do so fully. They may not benefit from the system partially.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 10.000; renumbered as § 9.000 on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 64.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter IX - Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing (§§ 629 — 629i) › § 629a - Limits on campaign expenditures

The total campaign expenditures of each political party and its candidate for Governor, or independent candidates for Governor, that avail themselves of the benefits of the Special Matching Fund or alternative voluntary fund during an election year, shall not exceed ten million dollars ($10,000,000) counting from the date on which the Fund resources are available. Should such amount be exceeded, an administrative fine equal to three (3) times the excess amount shall be imposed. Campaign expenditures shall include, but not be limited to the following items: campaign management and administration, operating expenses of any facility, consumption services, transportation and promotion vehicles, maintenance and fuel, preparation of promotional materials such as flags, t-shirts, posters, stickers, brochures, handouts, advertisements in newspapers, radio, local television, cable and satellite television, the Internet, billboards, and expenditures made in connection with support services rendered by advertising agencies, graphic artists, external technicians and advisors, payment for polls and field studies, setup and expenditures related to political rallies and assemblies during an election year, among others. This includes the regular administrative expenses of the political party’s central committee, which may be defrayed from the Election Fund for Administrative Expenses, as provided in § 628b of this title.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 10.001; July 3, 2012, No. 135, § 27; renumbered as § 9.001 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 65.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter IX - Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing (§§ 629 — 629i) › § 629b - Eligibility and procedure

Any registered political party or any political party that registers on or before the deadline for filing candidacies for elective offices, that has a candidate for Governor and any independent candidate for Governor who have been certified by the State Election Commission to participate in the general election for which participation in the Fund is requested shall be eligible to benefit from the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures. The party shall have and keep one candidate for Governor who may not be the candidate of another political party benefiting from the Special Fund in the same general election. Failure to meet this requirement or the withdrawal of the candidate benefiting from the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures shall render the party and the candidate severally liable to return the funds received. In order to benefit from the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures, the President or the Secretary of the political party, or the independent candidate for Governor, if it were the case, shall submit a sworn application to the Election Comptroller. The sworn certification shall be received at the Office of the Election Comptroller within fifteen (15) days after the date on which the State Election Commission certifies such candidacy for Governor. This term shall be strictly observed. Not later than the business day following the receipt of the sworn application in his/her office, the Election Comptroller shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury that this requirement has been met. Once certified, the fund matching may begin. The option to benefit from the Fund shall be final and binding and may not be revoked for such general election.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 10.002; July 3, 2012, No. 135, § 28; renumbered as § 9.002 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 66.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter IX - Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing (§§ 629 — 629i) › § 629c - Responsibility for the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures

The Secretary of the Treasury shall be responsible for the operation of the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures and the custody of the funds deposited therein. For this purpose, the Secretary shall keep separate accounts for each political party and candidate for Governor that is benefiting from the Fund. Payments and disbursements shall be made through the Department of the Treasury, upon justification to such effect, in accordance with the rules governing disbursements of the Treasury’s resources.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 10.003; renumbered as § 9.003 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 67.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter IX - Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing (§§ 629 — 629i) › § 629d - Resources for the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures

The Special Fund shall be nourished from the General Fund, thus, any available amounts necessary for the operation, administration, and financing of the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures shall be appropriated thereto; from contributions received by political parties and their candidates for Governor, and independent candidates for Governor; interest generated by the resources of the Fund and money collected from civil penalties under this chapter; and anonymous contributions in excess of the established limit.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 10.004; July 3, 2012, No. 135, § 29; renumbered as § 9.004 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 68.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter IX - Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing (§§ 629 — 629i) › § 629e - Operation of the Special Fund

The Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer the following amounts to the Fund:
(1) Up to a maximum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) in contributions for the campaign of each political party and its candidate for the office of Governor, and independent candidates for the office of Governor, respectively, and
(2) a gradual and correlative appropriation of up to five million dollars ($5,000,000) for each political party and its candidate for the office of Governor, and independent candidates for the office of Governor, for the same purpose, to be equally matched as the contributions collected by the political parties and candidates benefiting from the Special Fund. The fund-matching may be made up to five (5) o’clock in the afternoon of the same day of the general election, after this time and date no further collection may be made for this Fund.
Any contribution received by a person as an aspirant may be used for fund matching upon receipt of negative debt certification submitted to the Election Comptroller if the person has been certified as a candidate for Governor.
A political party and its candidate for Governor, or independent candidates for Governor, may opt to avail themselves of an alternative voluntary fund of one million two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,250,000) if they do not wish to participate in the fund-matching system of up to five million dollars ($5,000,000). To this Fund, they shall contribute up to a maximum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), which shall be matched on the basis of a 4:1 ratio for every dollar deposited up to the maximum government contribution of one million dollars ($1,000,000). Provided, That the funds deposited by the political parties in the Department of the Treasury shall be private money raised by the political party making the deposit; thus, any public fund balance available to political parties at the time the deposit is made in the Department of the Treasury shall not be taken into account for purposes of the Election Fund or the matching fund system established in this chapter. The political party and its candidate for Governor, and independent candidates for Governor, that chooses this option may receive additional contributions up to eight million seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($8,750,000) from private sources, not entitled to the fund-matching, to conduct the campaign of the political party in question and its candidate for Governor. Any party and candidate for Governor that makes this option shall not participate from the gradual and correlative fund appropriation. Should such amount be exceeded, an administrative fine equal to three (3) times the excess amount shall be paid.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 10.005; renumbered as § 9.005 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 69.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter IX - Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing (§§ 629 — 629i) › § 629f - Availability of funds

Even though parties, candidates, aspirants, or their committees can raise money for this Fund in preceding dates, the resources of the Fund shall be available for political parties and candidates to the office of Governor after July 1st of the year in which the general election is to be held. From said date, the Secretary of the Treasury shall make any corresponding disbursements from the Special Fund, not later than the fifth (5) business day after having submitted the request for funds along with the necessary documents for the processing thereof.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 10.006; renumbered as § 9.006 on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 70.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter IX - Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing (§§ 629 — 629i) › § 629g - Campaign expenditures pending payment

Political parties and candidates for Governor shall certify to the Office of the Election Comptroller the sum of their accrued debts outstanding as of July 1 st of the year in which the general election is to be held. Such certification shall be submitted not later than July 15 th of the same year. Political parties and candidates are authorized to raise funds to repay such debt before July 1 st, even if they have opted to benefit from the Special Fund. The funds raised to repay such debts shall be deposited in a financial institution in an account separate from all other accounts of the party and candidates, and shall be used solely for such purposes; the Office of the Election Comptroller shall have access to such accounts at all times for oversight purposes. The name of the financial institution and account number shall be submitted to the Office of the Election Comptroller and the contributions and expenditures shall be included in the reports to be filed by parties and candidates with the Office of the Election Comptroller as required by this chapter. Any funds raised and reported to repay any accrued debt shall not affect the limit allowed in the Special Fund for Political Campaigns.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 10.007; renumbered as § 9.007 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 71.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter IX - Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing (§§ 629 — 629i) › § 629h - Fines to parties and candidates

Any fine imposed on those parties and candidates for Governor that benefit from the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures or the alternative matching fund system, which has not been paid before July 1 st of the year in which the general election is to be held, shall be deducted by the Secretary of the Treasury from the funds available in the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 10.008; renumbered as § 9.008 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 72.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter IX - Special Fund for Election Campaign Financing (§§ 629 — 629i) › § 629i - Accounting of expenditures

Every party or independent candidate for Governor that draws against the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures shall keep a full and detailed accounting of every expenditure made and charged to said Fund and include, as an attachment to the statement of contributions and expenditures required under § 627 of this title, an expense itemization including the dates thereof, the full name and address of the person in whose favor payment was made, as well as the purpose of such payment. The Secretary of the Treasury shall not authorize any disbursement chargeable to the Election Fund until the provisions of this section are complied with.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, added as § 10.009 on July 3, 2012, No. 135, § 30; renumbered as § 9.009 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 73.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter X - Oversight and Compliance (§§ 630 — 630e) › § 630 - Oversight

The Board of Election Comptrollers or the official to whom the Board delegates shall examine the information included in the reports that must be filed with the Office of the Election Comptroller, as well as any information they receive or have access to. If they find any discrepancies or apparent violations of the law, including the placement of advertisements without having sufficient funds to pay for them, the official shall draft and file with the Board of Election Comptrollers a report of apparent violations with a duly grounded recommendation. The Board of Election Comptrollers shall examine the contents of the report and make a determination in connection therewith as provided in this chapter or the regulations. Provided, That the Board of Election Comptrollers shall be empowered to take any action within the scope of its powers in accordance with this chapter including, but not limited to, issue an order to show cause to persons or entities concerned stating the reasons why an administrative fine should not be imposed on them.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 11.000; renumbered as § 10.000 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 74.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter X - Oversight and Compliance (§§ 630 — 630e) › § 630a - Notification procedure

After the notification of an apparent violation and order to show cause is issued, the procedure below shall be followed:
(1) If the person or entity so notified appears and proves that requirements of this chapter were not met, the issue shall be deemed resolved.
(2) If the person or entity so notified appears and admits the violation, he/she shall be given the opportunity to correct any error, and if he/she agrees to pay an administrative fine, the case shall be referred to the Board of Election Comptrollers with a favorable recommendation of imposing a reduced administrative fine ranging between ten percent (10%) and seventy-five percent (75%) of the limit of the fine established in this subchapter. This provision shall not apply in the case of an offense or of violations of §§ 625h, 625i, 625k of this title. In such cases, the report shall be filed with the Board of Election Comptrollers with findings of facts and the corresponding recommendations.
(3) In the event the person or entity so notified fails to appear or, having appeared, fails to prove that the requirements of the law were met and refuses to pay a reduced fine, the Contributions and Expenditures Auditor shall inform the Board of Election Comptrollers: (A) the detected violation; (B) the basis for such conclusion; (C) the supporting evidence obtained; and (D) a recommendation as to how to proceed.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 11.001; renumbered as § 10.001 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 75.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter X - Oversight and Compliance (§§ 630 — 630e) › § 630b - Complaints

The public in general, including elected and non-elected officials, may file a complaint with the Office of the Election Comptroller for apparent violations of this chapter and the regulations promulgated thereunder. These complaints shall be sworn and based on the individual’s own and personal knowledge. Such complaints shall be filed along with any document that in the judgment of the complainant supports the allegations of the complaint, if any. Once these requirements are met, the Board of Election Comptrollers may submit for evaluation, if it deems there is a basis therefor, a copy of the complaint and any attachment thereto to the corresponding Audit Division Director, who, should he/she detect any irregularity or violation of this chapter or any regulation promulgated thereunder, shall issue and submit to the Board of Election Comptrollers a report recommending the notification of an apparent violation. Provided, That the Board of Election Comptrollers shall be authorized to take any action within the scope of its powers, in accordance with this chapter, without the consent of the Audit Division Director. If the Board of Election Comptrollers determines that a violation exists after examining the report, it shall determine whether or not an order to show cause, stating the reasons why the case should not be referred to the Secretary of Justice or any other agency, shall be issued; an administrative fine should not be imposed; a stop payment order should not be issued, upon a judicial order; a judicial action to address and stop the violation should not be initiated; or any other action deemed pertinent. The notification shall provide the term within which the respondent shall answer or submit a brief stating his/her position on the complaint. Once this requirement is met, the procedure established in § 630a of this title shall be followed.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 11.002; renumbered as § 10.002 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 76.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 2 - Additional Provisions (§§ 351 — 973q) › Chapter 60 - Puerto Rico Political Campaign Financing Oversight Act (§§ 621 — 634) › Subchapter X - Oversight and Compliance (§§ 630 — 630e) › § 630c - Receipt of recommendations

The Board of Election Comptrollers shall evaluate the recommendations received from the Director of the Contributions and Expenditures Audit Division, and may:
(1) Refer the matter to the Secretary of Justice for violations of this chapter that are deemed to be a crime;
(2) refer the matter to any agency with jurisdiction on any aspect related thereto, such as the Office of the Comptroller and the Office of Government Ethics;
(3) impose administrative fines;
(4) resort to the court to request the suspension of disbursements to political parties; and/or
(5) in the case of electioneering communications financed without meeting the requirements of this chapter, to institute an action in the Court of First Instance, San Juan Part, to halt detected violations and prevent future violations, such as stopping disbursements from the Special Fund. Instituting any action shall not impair any referrals to the Secretary of Justice or any other agency, or the imposition of administrative fines in accordance with this subchapter. Likewise, the Office of the Election Comptroller may resort to the court in the event that fines imposed are not paid or a disbursement suspension order is not complied with. Provided, That, the Board of Election Comptrollers shall be authorized to take any action within the scope of its powers, in accordance with this chapter, without the consent of the Director of the Contributions and Expenditures Audit Division.
History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 11.003; renumbered as § 10.003 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 77.