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NCPE at NV Legislature
SB 425 - to new detail on political contributions, and to include legal defense funds in that category.
To: Chairwoman Ellen Koivisto and members,
Assembly Elections, Procedures, Ethics and Constitutional Amendments Committee
Date: May 7, 2007
Subject: Support for SB 425
My name is Craig Walton, President of the Nevada Center for Public Ethics. We support SB 425, which defines “legal defense fund” at Sec. 2, subsec. 3 and then subsumes that definition under “political purposes”. This way, the existing restriction on legislators or certain constitutional officers seeking or accepting money at certain times for political purposes will now include the same restriction on money-raising for legal defense funds.
Your committee need to know that not all legal defense funds for legislators or governor, lieutenant governor or just-elected are covered here. Only those legal defense funds raised because of litigation arising out of their actions in a campaign, electoral process or the performance of official duties are covered. In the Senate committee hearing, this problem was raised, because concern was expressed that we should not try to forbid every kind of legal defense fund – there could be cases in one’s private life where a legal defense need could arise, entirely unrelated to any public officer’s duties. Hence the definition you see at subsection 3 (a) and then (b).
We support SB 425, and also recommend, if possible, that it be coordinated with AB 605 as presented by Secretary of State Ross Miller to this Committee, so that there could perhaps be one bill on legal defense fund definition and regulation.
Thank you for your consideration.
Craig Walton, President, on behalf of the members, Nevada Center for Public Ethics
From: Craig Walton, President, and members,
Nevada Center for Public Ethics
fax 1-702-395-2876
Go to other 2007 testimonies
AB 80, to require Limited Liability Corporations (LLC’s) to report contributions. As to the relationship to NCPE's 11 proposals, AB 80, is close to NCPE's proposal on p. 1 of our doc.
AB 109, - allows leftover campaign monies to go to a public-purpose Trust Fund.
AB 143, - changes the NV. Commission on Ethics deadline for completing an inquiry from 45 days to 1 year, and also allows the complainee to be told what is happening to his or her complaint.
SJR 1 - removes the requirement that affidavits be provided with ballot initiative petitions.
SB 79 - brings our statutes into line with a court ruling that the affidavit requirement for ballot petitions is a violation of the First Amendment.
SB 144, to require Limited Liability Corporations (LLC's) to report contributions.
AB 142 - to require ethics instruction and lobbyists to the Executive Dept. to register and report expenditures.
AB 335 - dealing with campaign disclosure
SB 425 - to new detail on political contributions, and to include legal defense funds in that category.
AB 312, dealing with campaign disclosure
AB 605 requires ethics training for new public officers and also for lobbyists, forbids the use of one’s office staff or equipment for campaign purposes, and doubles the three levels of penalties for violating ethics laws.
SB 495 provides a one-year cooling off period for persons leaving the Public Utilities Commission, the Gaming Control Board, or “former public officers or employees”.
Original Testimony
Revised Comments
SB 494 - dealing with primary, general, and municipal elections, SB 494 changes the filing deadline for campaign contribution reports.
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