GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 825

Short Title:  Contributions in Session.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Page; East, Forrester, Garwood, and Webster.

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Referred to:  Judiciary.

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April 14, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT RELATING TO FUND-RAISING IN SESSION.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  (a) G.S. 163-278.13A is repealed.
(b) Article 22A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 163-278.13B.  Limitation on fund-raising during legislative session.
(a)	Definitions. – For purposes of this section:
(1)	'Limited contributor' means a lobbyist registered pursuant to Article 9A of Chapter 120 of the General Statutes, that lobbyist's agent, or a political committee that employs or contracts with or whose parent entity employs or contracts with a lobbyist registered pursuant to Article 9A of Chapter 120 of the General Statutes.
(2)	'Limited contributee' means a member of the Council of State, a member of the General Assembly, or a political committee, the purpose of which is to assist a member or members of the Council of State or General Assembly.
(3)	The General Assembly is in 'regular session' from the date set by law or resolution that the General Assembly convenes until the General Assembly either adjourns sine die, or recesses or adjourns for more than 10 days.
(b)	Prohibited Solicitations. – While the General Assembly is in regular session, no limited contributee or the real or purported agent of a limited contributee shall solicit a contribution from a limited contributor to be made to that limited contributee or to be made to any other candidate, officeholder, or political committee.
(c)	Prohibited Contributions. – While the General Assembly is in regular session:
(1)	No limited contributor shall make a contribution to a limited contributee.
(2)	No limited contributor shall make a contribution to any candidate, officeholder, or political committee, directing or requesting that the contribution be made in turn to a limited contributee.
(3)	No limited contributor shall transfer any amount of money or anything of value to any entity, directing or requesting that that entity use what was transferred to contribute to a limited contributee.
(4)	No limited contributee shall accept a contribution from a limited contributor.
(d)	Prosecution. – A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor."
Section 2.  This act becomes effective January 1, 1998, and applies to all contributions solicited, made, or accepted on or after that date.  Prosecutions for, or sentences based on, offenses occurring before the relevant effective date in this act are not abated or affected by this act, and the statutes that would be applicable to those prosecutions or sentences but for the provisions of this act remain applicable to those prosecutions or sentences.