6253413 Public Hearing on B21-442, Political Action Committee Contribution Regulation Amendment Act of 2015, B21-509, Citizens Fair Election Program Amendment Act of 2015, B21-511, Clean Elections Amendment Act of 2015, B21-565, Elucidating Your ...

Council of the District of Columbia

COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARy

Notice of Public Hearing

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004  

 

 

Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie, Chairperson

Committee on the Judiciary

                                                  

Announces a Public Hearing on

 

B21-0442, The “Political Action Committee Contribution Regulation Amendment Act of 2015”

B21-0509, The “Citizens Fair Election Program Amendment Act of 2015”

B21-0511, The “Clean Elections Amendment Act of 2015”

B21-0565, The “Elucidating Your Elections Amendment Act of 2016”

B21-0622, The “Campaign Finance Transparency and Accountability Amendment Act of 2016”

 

Wednesday, November 16, 2016, 10:00 a.m.

Room 500, John A. Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

 Washington, D.C. 20004

 

 

On Wednesday, November 16, 2016, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie, Chairperson of the Committee on the Judiciary, will hold a public hearing on Bill 21-0442, the “Political Action Committee Contribution Regulation Amendment Act of 2015”; Bill 21-0509, the “Citizens Fair Election Program Amendment Act of 2015”; Bill 21-0511, the “Clean Elections Amendment Act of 2015”; Bill 21-0565, the “Elucidating Your Elections Amendment Act of 2016”; and Bill 21-0622, the “Campaign Finance Transparency and Accountability Amendment Act of 2016”. The hearing will be held in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., at 10:00 a.m.

 

The stated purpose of Bill 21-0442 is to amend Chapter 30 of Title 3 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations to limit contributions to political action committees year round.          

 

The stated purpose of Bill 21-0509 is to reform campaign financing and to provide for publically funded political campaigns.

 

The stated purpose of Bill 21-0511 is to amend the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Establishment and Comprehensive Ethics Reform Amendment Act of 2011 to clarify when candidates or public officeholders are considered to control or coordinate with election-related committees and to specify that only individuals may contribute to political committees and constituent- service programs.

 

The stated purpose of Bill 21-0565 is to amend the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Establishment and Comprehensive Ethics Reform Amendment Act of 2011 to require independent expenditure committees and political action committees to report quarterly each year in which there is no election, and to limit contributions to political action committees to $2,000.

 

The stated purpose of Bill 21-0622 is to require political action committees to direct their contributions through regulated accounts that are designated for that purpose; clarify that expenditures coordinated with a candidate or campaign are considered contributions to that candidate or campaign; require political committees and independent expenditure committees to certify that the donations they have received have not been coordinated with any candidate or campaign; enhance disclosure of independent expenditures; prohibit candidates, public officials, and their affiliated political committees from soliciting donations to any independent expenditure committee or political action committee; close the loophole allowing unlimited contributions to a political action committee in a year when the committee is not supporting candidates; disqualify individuals and corporations from large contracts or other significant business with the District if they have recently contributed to certain covered recipients; regulate Hatch Act employee designations by requiring them to be for a principal campaign or exploratory committee, requiring employees to use either annual or unpaid leave, requiring designated employees to disclose their designation to the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability, and requiring the Board to post designated-employee information on its website; and require members of boards and commissions to obtain ethics training from the Board at the beginning of their service.

 

The Committee invites the public to testify or to submit written testimony. Anyone wishing to testify at the hearing should contact the Committee at [phone], or via e-mail at [e-mail], and provide their name, telephone number, organizational affiliation, and title (if any) by close of business, November 10, 2016. Representatives of organizations will be allowed a maximum of five minutes for oral testimony, and individuals will be allowed a maximum of three minutes. Witness should bring twenty, single-sided copies of their written testimony and, if possible, also submit a copy of their testimony electronically to [e-mail].

 

For witnesses who are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements will be made part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted either to the Committee or to Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 5, Washington, D.C. 20004.  The record will close at the end of the business day on November 23, 2016.