PRINTER'S NO. 971
No. 876 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY KUKOVICH, CURRY, LEVDANSKY, CONTI, BATTISTO,
CAPPABIANCA, CAWLEY, COWELL, DeLUCA, FAJT, GORDNER, HANNA,
JOSEPHS, LAUGHLIN, MANDERINO, MARKOSEK, MASLAND, MELIO,
MICHLOVIC, MIHALICH, MUNDY, STABACK, STEELMAN, STETLER,
STURLA, TANGRETTI, THOMAS, TIGUE, VAN HORNE, VITALI AND
BELFANTI, FEBRUARY 27, 1995
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 27, 1995
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
2 "An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
3 special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,
4 primary and election expenses and election contests; creating
5 and defining membership of county boards of elections;
6 imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
7 courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;
8 imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,
9 revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and
10 repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to
11 elections," further defining "independent expenditure";
12 further providing for reporting; providing for funding of
13 certain Statewide elections; limiting certain contributions;
14 imposing powers and duties on the Department of State; and
15 providing penalties.
16 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
17 hereby enacts as follows:
18 Section 1. Section 1621(e) of the act of June 3, 1937,
19 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code,
20 added October 4, 1978 (P.L.893, No.171), is amended to read:
21 Section 1621. Definitions.--As used in this article, the
22 following words have the following meanings:
1 * * *
2 (e) The words "independent expenditure" shall mean an
3 expenditure by a person [made for the purpose of influencing an
4 election without cooperation or consultation with any candidate
5 or any political committee authorized by that candidate and
6 which is not made in concert with or at the request or
7 suggestion of any candidate or political committee or agent
8 thereof.] or political committee, other than a candidate's
9 campaign committee, that expressly advocates the election or
10 defeat of a clearly identified candidate, that is made without
11 cooperation or consultation with any candidate or committee or
12 agent of the candidate and that is not made in concert with or
13 at the request or suggestion of a candidate or any committee or
14 agent of the candidate. An expenditure is not an independent
15 expenditure if any of the following applies:
16 (1) Any officer, member, employe or agent of the political
17 committee making the expenditure is also an officer, member,
18 employe or agent of the committee of the candidate whose
19 election or whose opponent's defeat is being advocated by the
20 expenditure or an agent of the candidate whose election or whose
21 opponent's defeat is being advocated by the expenditure.
22 (2) There is an arrangement, coordination or direction with
23 respect to the expenditure between the candidate or the
24 candidate's agent and the person making the expenditure,
25 including any officer, director, employe or agent of that
26 person.
27 (3) In the same election, the person making the expenditure,
28 including any officer, director, employe or agent of that
29 person, is or has been:
30 (i) Authorized to raise or expend moneys on behalf of the
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1 candidate or the candidate's authorized committees.
2 (ii) Receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement
3 from the candidate, the candidate's committees or the
4 candidate's agent.
5 (4) The expenditure is based on information about the
6 candidate's plans, projects or needs or those of his campaign
7 committee, provided to the expending person by the candidate or
8 by the candidate's agents or any officer, member or employe of
9 the candidate's campaign committee with a view toward having the
10 expenditure made.
11 * * *
12 Section 2. Section 1626(a) and (j) of the act, added October
13 4, 1978 (P.L.893, No.171) and July 21, 1979 (P.L.189, No.63),
14 are amended to read:
15 Section 1626. Reporting by Candidate and Political
16 Committees and other Persons.--
17 (a) Each treasurer of a political committee and each
18 candidate for election to public office shall file with the
19 appropriate supervisor reports of receipts and expenditures on
20 forms, designed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, if the
21 amount received or expended or liabilities incurred shall exceed
22 the sum of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) regardless if the
23 amount received or expended is for one candidate or a number of
24 candidates. Should such an amount not exceed two hundred fifty
25 dollars ($250), then the candidate or the treasurer of the
26 committee shall file a sworn statement to that effect with the
27 appropriate supervisor rather than the report required by this
28 section.
29 * * *
30 (j) All "Political Action Committees" shall report to the
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1 Secretary of the Commonwealth and the respective county board of
2 elections all expenditures to or made on behalf of, any State-
3 wide candidate, candidate for the Pennsylvania House of
4 Representatives, or candidate for the State Senate, in the same
5 manner as indicated in this section as a candidate's political
6 committee. This provision shall be in addition to any other
7 filing and reporting provisions of this act which apply to such
8 committees, their treasurers and chairmen.
9 Section 3. Section 1628 of the act, amended July 11, 1980
10 (P.L.600, No.128), is amended to read:
11 Section 1628. Late Contributions and Independent
12 Expenditures.--
13 (a) Any candidate or political committee, authorized by a
14 candidate and created solely for the purpose of influencing an
15 election on behalf of that candidate, which receives any
16 contribution or pledge of five hundred dollars ($500) or more,
17 and any person making an independent expenditure, as defined by
18 this act, of five hundred dollars ($500) or more after the final
19 pre-election report has been deemed completed shall report such
20 contribution, pledge or expenditure to the appropriate
21 supervisor by telegram or mailgram. Such telegram or mailgram
22 shall be sent by the candidate, chairman or treasurer of the
23 political committee within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of
24 the contribution. It shall be the duty of the supervisor to
25 confirm the substance of such telegram or mailgram. Any
26 candidate in his own behalf, or chairman, treasurer or candidate
27 in behalf of the political committee may also comply with this
28 section by appearing personally before such supervisor and
29 reporting such late contributions or pledges.
30 (b) In addition to the information concerning independent
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1 expenditures reported by a person or political committee under
2 section 1626, a person or political committee that makes
3 independent expenditures relating to any one candidate or office
4 within thirty (30) days before the day of any election to which
5 the expenditures relate and which aggregate five hundred dollars
6 ($500) shall report the independent expenditures within twenty-
7 four (24) hours or by 5 o'clock P.M. the day following a weekend
8 or holiday of when the expenditure is made. If a person or
9 political committee makes an independent expenditure for
10 campaign literature or an advertisement, the person or political
11 committee making the expenditure shall also send by certified
12 mail a copy of the campaign literature or advertisement to each
13 candidate named or otherwise referred to in the literature or
14 advertisement within twenty-four (24) hours or by 5 o'clock P.M.
15 the day following a weekend or holiday of the expenditure or
16 distribution.
17 (c) An independent expenditure report filed under subsection
18 (b) shall be filed with the supervisor prescribed in section
19 1626 and shall contain all of the following:
20 (1) The name and address of any person to whom an
21 independent expenditure was made.
22 (2) The date and amount of the independent expenditure.
23 (3) The purpose of the independent expenditure, including a
24 description of what was purchased.
25 (4) The name of each candidate whose election or defeat was
26 advocated by the expenditure and, for each candidate, the office
27 sought by the candidate and the year of the election.
28 (5) The names, occupations, employers and amount contributed
29 by all contributors of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or more.
30 If any of these contributors is a political committee, the
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1 report shall include the names, occupations and employers of the
2 committee's chairman and treasurer.
3 (6) Under penalty of perjury, a certification stating that
4 the claimed independent expenditure is not made in cooperation,
5 consultation or concert with or at the request or suggestion of
6 any candidate or any campaign committee or agent of that
7 candidate.
8 (7) A copy of any literature or advertisement or other
9 communication, including an advertisement in an electronic or
10 print medium, that was purchased with the independent
11 expenditure.
12 (d) If a person or political committee makes an independent
13 expenditure of less than five hundred dollars ($500) for
14 campaign literature or an advertisement for the purpose of
15 influencing an election, including an advertisement in
16 electronic or print media, in the last thirty (30) days
17 preceding the election or if an independent expenditure is made
18 for campaign literature or advertisements that are distributed
19 during the last thirty (30) days preceding the election, the
20 person or political committee making the expenditure shall file
21 a copy of the campaign literature or advertisement with the
22 Secretary of the Commonwealth within twenty-four (24) hours of
23 the expenditure or distribution.
24 (e) Filing by electronic facsimile or by telegram is
25 permissible.
26 (f) An expenditure by a political committee or a person that
27 does not meet the definition of an independent expenditure is an
28 in-kind contribution to the candidate and a corresponding
29 expenditure by the candidate unless otherwise exempted.
30 (g) A person who violates this section is subject to a civil
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1 penalty of three (3) times the cost of the literature or
2 advertisement that was distributed in violation of this section.
3 Section 4. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
4 Section 1633.1. Contributions or Expenditures by
5 Partnerships.--It is unlawful for any partnership operating
6 under the laws of this State or any other state or any foreign
7 country to make a contribution or expenditure in connection with
8 any State-wide judicial office. Furthermore, it shall be
9 unlawful for any candidate running for State-wide judicial
10 office, political committee or other person to knowingly accept
11 or receive any contribution prohibited by this section or for
12 any partner of any partnership to consent to any contribution or
13 expenditure prohibited by this section.
14 Section 5. The act is amended by adding an article to read:
15 ARTICLE XVI-A
16 Pennsylvania Fair Campaign Fund
17 Section 1601-A. Definitions.--As used in this article, the
18 following words have the following meanings:
19 "Declaration of candidacy" shall mean the point in a person's
20 campaign for political office at which that person becomes in
21 compliance with section 1622.
22 "Department" shall mean the Department of State of the
23 Commonwealth.
24 "Fund" shall mean the Pennsylvania Fair Campaign Fund
25 established under section 1604-A.
26 "Major political party" shall mean a political party whose
27 candidate for Governor received either the highest or second
28 highest number of votes in the preceding gubernatorial election.
29 "Secretary" shall mean the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
30 Section 1602-A. Application of Article.--Except as provided
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1 in section 1613-A, the provisions of this article shall be
2 applicable to candidates for the following State-wide offices
3 who elect to apply for campaign funding under this article:
4 (1) Supreme Court Justice.
5 (2) Superior Court Judge.
6 (3) Commonwealth Court Judge.
7 Section 1603-A. Administration.--The provisions of this
8 article shall be administered by the department. The department
9 may adopt rules and regulations as may be necessary for the
10 implementation of this article.
11 Section 1604-A. Pennsylvania Fair Campaign Fund
12 Established.--There is hereby established a special restricted
13 receipts fund in the State Treasury to be known as the
14 Pennsylvania Fair Campaign Fund. Payments shall be made into
15 this fund pursuant to section 1605-A and disbursements shall be
16 made from the fund only upon the warrant of the secretary and a
17 warrant of the State Treasurer. As much of the moneys in the
18 fund as are necessary to make payments to candidates as provided
19 in this article are appropriated from the Pennsylvania Fair
20 Campaign Fund to the Department of State on a continuing basis
21 for the purpose of such payments. No moneys of the General Fund
22 shall be used for the purposes of the Pennsylvania Fair Campaign
23 Fund.
24 Section 1605-A. Allocation of Certain Tax Proceeds to
25 Fund.--Beginning with tax years commencing January 1, 1996, and
26 thereafter, each individual subject to the tax imposed by
27 Article III of the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as
28 the "Tax Reform Code of 1971," whose tax liability for the year
29 is one dollar ($1)or more may designate one dollar ($1) of his
30 personal income taxes to be paid into the Pennsylvania Fair
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1 Campaign Fund. In the case of married taxpayers filing a joint
2 return, each spouse may designate one dollar ($1) to be paid
3 into the Pennsylvania Fair Campaign Fund if their tax liability
4 is two dollars ($2) or more. All of these designated tax
5 revenues shall be paid into the fund. The check-off and
6 instructions shall be prominently displayed on the first page of
7 the tax return form. The instructions shall readily indicate
8 that these designations neither increase nor decrease an
9 individual's tax liability.
10 Section 1606-A. Certification of Moneys in Fund.--By June 30
11 of each year, the State Treasurer shall certify to the
12 department the current balance available in the fund.
13 Section 1607-A. Qualification for Funding.--(a) Any
14 candidate for office as described in section 1602-A may apply
15 for funding under this article if the candidate meets the
16 contributory thresholds established in subsection (b) and
17 otherwise conforms to the requirements of this article. No
18 candidate shall be obligated to apply for funding under this
19 article and if any candidate elects not to apply, the provisions
20 of this article pertaining to limits on expenditures or the use
21 of his personal funds shall be inapplicable to the person and
22 his candidacy. Any candidate electing to receive funding under
23 this article shall declare his intention to do so and specify
24 the office for which he is a candidate. No candidate may elect
25 to receive funding under this article for a general or municipal
26 election unless the candidate elected to receive funding under
27 this article for the primary election. A candidate who is
28 nominated by his party to fill a vacancy which occurs after the
29 primary or who is placed on the ballot by petition and qualifies
30 for funding pursuant to section 1607(b) is eligible to receive
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1 funding under this article for a general or municipal election.
2 Any and all committees authorized to receive contributions or
3 make expenditures for the candidate who has so declared shall
4 abide by the provisions of section 1613-A. Any candidate who for
5 any reason has his name withdrawn from the ballot for an
6 election, after receipt of funds under this article, shall
7 return to the fund all unspent money received from the
8 Pennsylvania Fair Campaign Fund.
9 (b) (1) In order to qualify for funding in a general
10 election, a candidate must receive subsequent to the date of
11 that candidate's primary election but prior to the date of that
12 candidate's general election qualifying contributions of the
13 following amounts:
14 Office Qualifying Contributions Required
15 (i) Supreme Court Justices $30,000
16 (ii) Superior Court Judges 30,000
17 (iii) Commonwealth Court Judges 30,000
18 (2) In order to qualify for funding in a primary election, a
19 candidate must receive prior to the date of the primary
20 election, but subsequent to January 1 of the year in which that
21 candidate runs for office, one-half of the amount specified in
22 clause (1) for the appropriate office.
23 (3) (i) The term "qualifying contribution" shall include
24 any contribution, as defined in section 1621(b), which has all
25 of the following characteristics:
26 (A) Made by an individual resident of Pennsylvania.
27 (B) Made by a written instrument which indicates the
28 contributor's full name and mailing address and is not intended
29 to be returned to the contributor or transferred to another
30 political committee or candidate.
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1 (ii) If a contributor receives goods or services of value in
2 return for his contribution, the qualifying contribution shall
3 be calculated as the original contribution, minus the fair
4 market value of the goods or services received.
5 (iii) Contributions by an individual which exceed two
6 hundred fifty dollars ($250) in the aggregate shall be deemed
7 only a two hundred fifty dollar ($250) qualifying contribution
8 for the purposes of this section and for the matching payment
9 provisions of section 1608-A.
10 (c) The department shall select an auditor pursuant to the
11 provisions of section 1635(a). Each candidate who elects to
12 apply for funding under this article shall provide evidence that
13 the candidate has raised the qualifying contributions required
14 by this section which evidence shall be verified and certified
15 as correct to the department by the auditor selected under this
16 article. The department shall establish a deadline for the
17 certification and a process for verification by the auditor
18 selected under this article.
19 Section 1608-A. Funding Formula.--(a) Every candidate who
20 qualifies for funding for either the primary or the general
21 election pursuant to section 1607-A shall receive matching
22 payments from the fund in the amount of one dollar ($1) for each
23 dollar of qualifying contribution as defined in section 1607-
24 A(b)(3).
25 (b) (1) Only those qualifying contributions made during the
26 period between January 1 of the year in which the candidate runs
27 for office and the primary election shall be eligible for
28 matching payments from the fund for the primary election.
29 (2) Only those qualifying contributions made during the
30 period between the primary election and the general election of
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1 the year in which that candidate runs for office shall be
2 eligible for matching payments from the fund for the general
3 election.
4 (c) Matching funds shall not be provided for any qualifying
5 contributions unless the reporting requirements of section
6 1626(b) are satisfied.
7 Section 1609-A. Limitations on Funding.--(a) Every
8 candidate who qualifies for and receives funding pursuant to the
9 formula established in section 1608-A shall be entitled to
10 receive no more than the maximum amount specified in subsection
11 (b) for the office the candidate is seeking.
12 (b) (1) The maximum amount of funding available for the
13 general election for each candidate under this article shall be
14 as follows:
15 Office Maximum Pennsylvania Fair
16 Campaign Funding
17 (i) Supreme Court Justices $150,000
18 (ii) Superior Court Judges 150,000
19 (iii) Commonwealth Court Judges 150,000
20 (2) The maximum amount of funding available for the primary
21 election for each candidate under this article shall be one-half
22 the appropriate figure in clause (1).
23 (c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this article no
24 funding shall be provided to the following:
25 (1) Candidates in the general election who have been
26 nominated by both major political parties.
27 (2) Candidates in the primary election who are unopposed for
28 the nomination.
29 Section 1610-A. Time of Payments.--(a) Beginning ninety
30 (90) days prior to the relevant primary or general election, the
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1 department shall make payments authorized by this article at
2 least every two (2) weeks. However, except for the final
3 payment, no payment shall be due or paid if the payment does not
4 equal at least five thousand dollars ($5,000) in amount.
5 (b) If in the secretary's opinion insufficient funds exist
6 in the fund to provide the anticipated full funding to eligible
7 candidates in a given primary or general election, the
8 department shall distribute the available funds to qualified
9 candidates on a pro-rata basis. In determining whether
10 sufficient funds are available, the secretary shall not take
11 into consideration the needs of any subsequent primary or
12 general elections but shall base the decision solely on the
13 immediate primary or election at hand.
14 Section 1611-A. Use of Funds by Candidates.--(a) Funds
15 distributed to candidates pursuant to this article may be used
16 only for the election for which they are distributed and only
17 for the purposes set forth in section 1634.1 except that no fund
18 moneys may be used:
19 (1) To transfer to other candidates or to committees of
20 other candidates or to political committees.
21 (2) To pay for expenditures incurred after the date of the
22 general election.
23 (b) Funds distributed to a candidate pursuant to this
24 article shall be placed in a single bank account. Expenditures
25 from this account shall be made only for campaign expenses
26 listed in subsection (a).
27 Section 1612-A. Expenditures.--(a) Expenditures made by a
28 candidate and his authorized committees, for all purposes and
29 from all sources, including, but not limited to, amounts of
30 funds distributed under this article, proceeds of loans, gifts,
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1 contributions from any source or personal funds, subsequent to
2 the date of the primary election, but prior to the date of the
3 general election, may not exceed the amounts specified below:
4 Office Total Expenditure Limits
5 (i) Justice of the
6 Supreme Court $300,000
7 (ii) Judge of the
8 Superior Court 300,000
9 (iii) Judge of the
10 Commonwealth Court 300,000
11 (b) Expenditures made by a candidate and his authorized
12 committees, subsequent to January 1 of the year in which the
13 candidate runs for office but prior to the date of the primary
14 election, may not exceed one-half of the amount specified in
15 subsection (a).
16 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, a
17 candidate who accepts public funding pursuant to the formula
18 established in section 1608-A, but whose major political party
19 opponent in a general or municipal election elects not to apply
20 for the public funding, shall not be bound by the expenditure
21 limits specified in this section. A candidate who accepts public
22 funding shall be eligible to qualify for those fair campaign
23 funds which would have otherwise been available to an opponent
24 who has chosen not to apply for funding from the Pennsylvania
25 Fair Campaign Fund.
26 (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, a
27 candidate who accepts public funding pursuant to the formula
28 established in section 1608-A, but whose major political party
29 opponents in a primary election elect to not apply for the
30 public funding, shall not be bound by the expenditure limits
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1 specified in this section. If there is more than one candidate
2 in a major political party in a primary election, the fair
3 campaign funds which would have otherwise been available to each
4 opponent who has elected to not apply for the public funding
5 shall be divided equally among the candidates who accept public
6 financing.
7 Section 1613-A. Limitations on Certain Contributions.--(a)
8 Any candidate for the office of Justice of the Supreme Court or
9 Judge of the Superior Court or Commonwealth Court shall not
10 accept contributions from an individual or political action
11 committee which in the aggregate exceed two hundred fifty
12 dollars ($250) for any primary, general or special election.
13 However, the candidate and spouse may contribute up to thirty
14 thousand dollars ($30,000) in the aggregate for each primary,
15 general or special election in which that candidate is running
16 for office.
17 (b) Any candidate for the office of Governor, Lieutenant
18 Governor, Auditor General, Attorney General, State Treasurer,
19 Senate or House of Representatives shall not accept
20 contributions which in the aggregate exceed the following limits
21 for any primary, general or special election in which that
22 candidate is running for office:
23 Contributor Limit
24 (1) Individual $ 1,000
25 (2) Political action committee
26 as defined in section 1621(1) 5,000
27 (c) A gift, subscription, loan, advance or deposit of money
28 or anything of value to a candidate shall be considered a
29 contribution both by the original source of the contribution and
30 by any intermediary or conduit if the intermediary or conduit--
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1 (1) exercises any control or any direction over the making of
2 the contribution; or (2) solicits the contribution or arranges
3 for the contribution to be made and directly or indirectly makes
4 the candidate aware of such intermediary or conduit's role in
5 soliciting or arranging the contribution for the candidate.
6 (d) For purposes of subsection (c), a contribution shall not
7 be considered to be a contribution by an intermediary or conduit
8 to the candidate if-- (1) the intermediary or conduit has been
9 retained by the candidate's committee for the purpose of fund-
10 raising and is reimbursed for expenses incurred in soliciting
11 contributions; (2) in the case of an individual, the candidate
12 has expressly authorized the intermediary or conduit to engage
13 in fund-raising, or the individual occupies a significant
14 position within the candidate's campaign organization; or (3) in
15 the case of a political committee, the intermediary or conduit
16 is an authorized committee of the candidate.
17 (e) This section shall apply to any candidate for any office
18 set forth in this section, regardless of whether or not the
19 candidate receives funding from the fund.
20 Section 1614-A. Inflation Indexing of Certain Limitations.--
21 The dollar figures contained in sections 1607-A, 1609-A and
22 1612-A shall be adjusted annually during March at a rate equal
23 to the average percentage change in the All-Urban Consumer Price
24 Index for the Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Scranton standard
25 metropolitan statistical areas as published by the Bureau of
26 Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor, or
27 any successor agency, occurring in the prior calendar year. The
28 base year shall be 1994. The average shall be calculated and
29 certified by the secretary annually by adding the percentage
30 increase in each of the three areas and dividing by three. The
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1 calculation and resulting new figures shall be published in the
2 Pennsylvania Bulletin during March.
3 Section 1615-A. Annual Report.--The secretary shall report
4 annually to the Governor and the General Assembly on the
5 operations of funding as provided by this article. This report
6 shall include, but not be limited to, the revenues and
7 expenditures in the fund, the amounts distributed to candidates,
8 the results of any audits performed on candidates in compliance
9 with this article and any prosecutions brought for violations of
10 this article.
11 Section 1616-A. Return of Excess Funds.--(a) All unexpended
12 campaign funds in a candidate's and his authorized committees'
13 possession sixty (60) days after a primary election shall be
14 returned to the secretary for deposit in the Pennsylvania Fair
15 Campaign Fund, up to the amount of the funds which were
16 distributed to the candidate under this article for the primary
17 election.
18 (b) All unexpended campaign funds in a candidate's and his
19 authorized committee's possession sixty (60) days after a
20 general or municipal election shall be returned to the secretary
21 for deposit in the Pennsylvania Fair Campaign Fund, up to the
22 amount of the funds which were distributed to the candidate
23 under this article for the general or municipal election.
24 Section 1617-A. Penalties.--(a) A person who violates the
25 provisions of this article and who, as a result, obtains funds
26 under this article to which he is not entitled commits a
27 misdemeanor of the first degree and shall, upon conviction, be
28 subject to a fine not to exceed the greater of ten thousand
29 dollars ($10,000) or three times the amount of funds wrongfully
30 obtained or to imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
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1 (b) A person who violates section 1611-A or 1612-A commits a
2 misdemeanor of the first degree and shall, upon conviction, be
3 subject to a fine not to exceed the greater of ten thousand
4 dollars ($10,000) or three times the amount of funds that were
5 wrongfully used or expended or to imprisonment for up to five
6 years, or both.
7 (c) Except as provided in subsections (a) and (b), a person
8 who violates any provision of this act commits a misdemeanor of
9 the third degree and shall, upon conviction, be subject to a
10 fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or to
11 imprisonment for up to one year, or both.
12 Section 6. This act shall apply to returns of taxpayers of
13 calendar years commencing January 1, 1996, and thereafter.
14 Funding from the Pennsylvania Fair Campaign Fund shall be
15 provided to candidates for office beginning with the primary
16 election of 1998 and in each primary, municipal and general
17 election thereafter.
18 Section 7. This act shall take effect immediately.
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