§1505.3. Subterfuge to avoid compliance with Chapter

A. As more specifically provided in R.S. 18:1491.3(D), no committee shall nominally support an additional candidate or candidates for the purpose of avoiding designation as a subsidiary committee and the requirements of this Chapter. The committee chairman of any committee which violates the provisions of said Subsection D shall be subject to the penalties provided in R.S. 18:1505.4, R.S. 18:1505.5, and R.S. 18:1505.6.

B. As more specifically provided in R.S. 18:1491.2(B) no political committee shall dissolve and reorganize under a modified name, charter, or organizational structure as a subterfuge to avoid the reporting and other requirements of this Chapter. The chairman of any committee(s) which violates the provisions of said Subsection B shall be subject to the penalties provided in R.S. 18:1505.4, R.S. 18:1505.5, and R.S. 18:1505.6.

C. As more specifically provided in R.S. 18:1491.5(B)(2)(b) and R.S. 18:1495.3(B)(2)(b), no person shall sell or buy campaign paraphernalia in successive single transactions for amounts below those for which specific records are required as a subterfuge to avoid the requirements of this Chapter. Any person who violates the provisions of said Paragraphs shall be subject to the penalties provided in R.S. 18:1505.4, R.S. 18:1505.5, and R.S. 18:1505.6.

D.(1)(a) No public relations firm, advertising agency, media buyer, or other person who purchases media advertising time or space shall accept payment for placing any advertisement which purports to be paid for by a particular candidate or political committee from any source other than such candidate or political committee.

(b) Any person who violates the provisions of this Paragraph shall be assessed a penalty by the supervisory committee of not more than five thousand dollars or the amount of the payment, whichever is greater.

(2)(a)(i) No person shall pay for an advertisement which purports to be paid for by a particular candidate or political committee without the consent of such candidate or political committee.

(ii) Any person who violates the provisions of this Subparagraph shall be assessed a penalty by the supervisory committee of not more than five thousand dollars or the amount of the payment, whichever is greater.

(b) If a publisher or broadcaster of an advertisement which purports to be paid for by a particular candidate or political committee accepts payment for such an advertisement from any source other than such candidate or political committee, the publisher or broadcaster shall require, prior to publishing or broadcasting the advertisement, that the person making the payment provide a written statement containing the following:

(i) The full name and address of the individual or name of the organization, committee, or corporation, and the full name and address of its chairman or other chief administrative officer who is the source of the funds used to pay for the advertisement, and

(ii) A statement that the advertisement is being run with the knowledge and consent of the candidate or political committee which the advertisement purports has paid for the advertisement.

(c) A completed form meeting the standards required by the rules promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission with regard to sponsorship identification of political advertisements shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph.

(d) The publisher or broadcaster shall maintain the statement as a public record at its official business address or at the station address for a period of two years during which time the publisher or broadcaster shall make the statement available for public inspection as the custodian of a public record, pursuant to R.S. 44:1 et seq.

(e) Any person who provides false or inaccurate information in a statement required by this Paragraph shall be assessed a penalty by the supervisory committee of not more than ten thousand dollars.

(3) Nothing in this Subsection shall prohibit any person who publishes or broadcasts political advertisements from accepting payment for a political advertisement from any person, so long as the advertisement does not misrepresent who paid for the advertisement either directly or indirectly through the person who purchased the advertising time or space. However, if a third-party entity pays for a political announcement or advertisement for a candidate, the name of the third-party entity shall be displayed on the face of the advertisement. The font size of such display shall be no less than half of the font size of the content of the advertisement.

(4) The provisions of R.S. 18:1505.5 and 1505.6 shall not apply to violations of this Subsection.

Acts 1980, No. 786, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1981. Acts 1988, No. 994, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1989; Acts 2001, No. 1194, §1; Acts 2008, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 14, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2010.