A. Five thousand dollars for reports required under section 1017, subsection 2, paragraphs paragraph B, C, D, E or H; section 1017, subsection 3-A, paragraphs paragraph B, C, D or F; section 1017, subsection subsections 3-B and 4; and section 1019;

Sec. 3. Retroactivity. This Act applies retroactively to January 1, 2000.

SUMMARY

This bill amends the laws governing penalties for failure to file accelerated campaign finance reports. Current law requires the imposition of a penalty that may result in an amount disproportionate to the gravity of the lateness in filing. This bill establishes a maximum penalty of $5,000 for such a violation, and amends the law to allow the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices to consider in assessing a penalty factors such as the existence of a valid emergency, an error by commission staff and evidence of a bona fide effort to file.