S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                   538

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 7, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M. of A. DINOWITZ, CHRISTENSEN, GALEF -- Multi-Sponsored
  by -- M. of A.   DESTITO, SWEENEY -- read once  and  referred  to  the
  Committee on Election Law

AN  ACT  to amend the election law, in relation to the classification of
  certain components of a controlled group of corporations as  a  single
  entity  for purposes of calculating contribution limits, and requiring
  the identification of the interests of certain contributors

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Subdivision  2  of section 14-116 of the election law, as
amended by chapter 260 of the laws  of  1981,  is  amended  to  read  as
follows:
  2.  Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of this section,
any  corporation or an organization financially supported in whole or in
part, by such corporation  may  make  expenditures,  including  contrib-
utions,  not  otherwise prohibited by law, for political purposes, in an
amount not to exceed five thousand  dollars  in  the  aggregate  in  any
calendar  year;  provided  that  no  public  utility  shall use revenues
received from the rendition of  public  service  within  the  state  for
contributions  for political purposes unless such cost is charged to the
shareholders of such a public service corporation. FOR THE  PURPOSES  OF
THIS  SUBDIVISION,  ALL  THE  COMPONENT MEMBERS OF A CONTROLLED GROUP OF
CORPORATIONS WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION  ONE  THOUSAND  FIVE  HUNDRED
SIXTY-THREE  OF  THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF THE UNITED STATES SHALL BE
DEEMED TO BE ONE CORPORATION.
  S 2. Subdivision 1 of section 14-118 of the election law,  as  amended
by chapter 70 of the laws of 1983, is amended to read as follows:
  1.  Every political committee shall have a treasurer and a depository,
and shall cause the treasurer to keep detailed, bound  accounts  of  all
receipts, transfers, loans, liabilities, contributions and expenditures,

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD02593-01-9

A. 538                              2

made  by  the committee or any of its officers, members or agents acting
under its authority or  in  its  behalf.  All  such  accounts  shall  be
retained  by a treasurer for a period of five years from the date of the
filing  of  the  final  statement  with respect to the election, primary
election or convention to which they pertain.   No  officer,  member  or
agent  of any political committee shall receive any receipt, transfer or
contribution, or make any expenditure or incur any liability  until  the
committee  shall  have chosen a treasurer and depository and filed their
names in accordance with this subdivision.  There shall be filed in  the
office  in  which the committee is required to file its statements under
section 14-110 of this article, within five days after the choice  of  a
treasurer and depository, a statement giving the name and address of the
treasurer  chosen, the name and address of any person authorized to sign
checks by such treasurer, the name and address of the depository  chosen
and  the  candidate  or  candidates  or ballot proposal or proposals the
success or defeat of which  the  committee  is  to  aid  or  take  part;
provided,  however,  that  such  statement  shall  not  be required of a
constituted committee and provided further that  a  political  committee
which  makes  no  expenditures,  to  aid or take part in the election or
defeat of a candidate, other than in the form  of  contributions,  shall
not  be  required  to  list the candidates being supported or opposed by
such committee. SUCH A STATEMENT FROM ANY COMMITTEE OTHER THAN  A  PARTY
OR  AUTHORIZED  COMMITTEE  ALSO  SHALL  CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE ECONOMIC OR
OTHER SPECIAL INTEREST, IF IDENTIFIABLE, OF A MAJORITY OF ITS  CONTRIBU-
TORS,  AND  IF  A  MAJORITY OF ITS CONTRIBUTORS SHARE A COMMON EMPLOYER,
SHALL IDENTIFY THE EMPLOYER. IF THE ECONOMIC OR OTHER  SPECIAL  INTEREST
OR  COMMON EMPLOYER ARE NOT IDENTIFIABLE, SUCH STATEMENT OF A MULTI-CAN-
DIDATE COMMITTEE SHALL CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE ECONOMIC  OR  OTHER  SPECIAL
INTEREST,  IF  IDENTIFIABLE,  OF  A MAJORITY OF ITS ORGANIZERS, AND IF A
MAJORITY OF ITS ORGANIZERS SHARE A COMMON EMPLOYER, SHALL  IDENTIFY  THE
EMPLOYER,  AND  IF ORGANIZED, CONTROLLED OR MAINTAINED BY AN INDIVIDUAL,
SHALL IDENTIFY THAT INDIVIDUAL. Such statement shall be  signed  by  the
treasurer and all other persons authorized to sign checks. Any change in
the  information  required  in  any  statement  shall be reported, in an
amended statement filed in the same manner and in the same office as  an
original  statement  filed  under this section, within two days after it
occurs. Only a banking organization authorized to do  business  in  this
state may be designated a depository hereunder.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.