(a) Formation of political committee. Method of funding. An organization may make contributions or expenditures, other than those made to promote the success or defeat of a referendum question, only by first forming its own political committee. The political committee shall then be authorized to receive funds exclusively from the organization's treasury or from voluntary contributions made by its members, but not both, from another political committee or, from a candidate committee distributing a surplus and (1) to make contributions or expenditures to, or for the benefit of, a candidate's campaign or a political party, or (2) to make contributions to another political committee. No organization shall form more than one political committee. A political committee shall be deemed to have been established by an organization if the initial contribution to the committee is made by the organization's treasury or an officer or director of the organization.

(b) Change in method of funding. A political committee established by an organization may elect to alter the manner in which it is funded if it complies with the requirements of this subsection. The committee chairperson shall notify the repository with which the committee's most recent statement of organization is filed, in writing, of the committee's intent to alter its manner of funding. Within fifteen days after the date of receipt of such notification, the treasurer of such political committee shall return any funds remaining in the account of the committee to the organization's treasury after payment of each outstanding liability. Within seven days after the distribution and payments have been made, the treasurer shall file a statement with the same repository itemizing each such distribution and payment. Upon such filing, the treasurer may receive voluntary contributions from any member of the organization which established such committee subject to the limitations imposed in subsection (b) of section 9-612.

(c) Designation of funding method. The chairperson of each political committee established by an organization on or after July 1, 1985, shall designate the manner in which the committee shall be funded in the committee's statement of organization.

(d) Independent expenditures. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, an organization, acting alone, may make independent expenditures.

(P.A. 86-99, S. 17, 34; Oct. 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-5, S. 34; P.A. 10-187, S. 8; P.A. 13-180, S. 12.)

History: Oct. 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-5 added provision in Subsec. (a) re when political committee deemed established by an organization, effective December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after that date; Sec. 9-333p transferred to Sec. 9-614 in 2007; P.A. 10-187 added Subsec. (d) re independent expenditures, effective June 8, 2010; pursuant to P.A. 13-180, “campaign treasurer” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “treasurer” in Subsec. (b), effective June 18, 2013.