Int. No. 1504

By Council Member Kallos

A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to the disclosure of the industries of campaign contributors

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1.  Paragraph 3 of subdivision a of section 1053 of the New York city charter is amended to read as follows:

3. information on each candidate, including but not limited to name, party affiliation, present and previous public offices held, present occupation and employer, prior employment and other public service experience, educational background, a listing of major organizational affiliations and endorsements, a summary of the industries indicated by contributors to each candidate including but not limited to a pie chart displaying the industries, from the list posted pursuant to subdivision 3 of section 3-713 of the code, of campaign contributors as a percentage of total dollars contributed to such candidate to the extent known, and a concise statement by each candidate of his or her principles, platform or views;

§ 2. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of section 3-703 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to read as follows:

(d) obtain and furnish to the campaign finance board, and his or her principal committee or authorized committees must obtain and furnish to the board, any information it may request relating to his or her campaign expenditures or contributions and furnish such documentation and other proof of compliance with this chapter as may be requested by such board, provided, however, that the board shall accept such required documentation through an electronically scanned transmission. For contributions submitted in support of a claim for matching funds, the following records shall be maintained by a candidate and his or her principal or authorized committee:

(i) for a contribution by cash, a contribution card containing the contributor's name, industry, employer and residential address and the amount of the contribution;

(ii) for a contribution by money order, a copy of the money order, [provided that] and a contribution card containing the contributor's name, industry, employer and residential address [shall be required if such information is not printed upon such money order by the issuing institution];

(iii) for a contribution by check, a copy of the check, made out to the principal or authorized committee[, provided that] and a contribution card from the contributor containing the contributor’s name, industry, employer and residential address [demonstrating an intent to contribute shall be required if such check is signed by a person other than the contributor];

(iv) for a contribution by credit card, text message contribution or other contribution from a payment account, a record from the merchant, processor or vendor containing the contributor's name, industry, employer, residential address, the amount of the contribution and an indicator showing that the contribution was charged to the contributor's account and processed. For a contribution by text message, the contributor's phone number must also be included, as well as the name, residential address and phone number of the registered user of the specific mobile device used to initiate the contribution, to the extent such information may be reasonably obtained under law;

(v) A contribution card shall not be required, except where specified, for contributions pursuant to subparagraphs (ii), (iii), and (iv) of this paragraph. Where a contribution card is required, such card may be completed by the candidate or his or her principal or authorized committee after the contribution has been made, provided that such card is dated, and signed or electronically affirmed by the contributor after such card has been completed by the candidate or his or her principal or authorized committee. Where industry information is required to be provided, such information shall be furnished through the use of check boxes, with one check box for each industry pursuant to subdivision 3 of section 3-713, for printed cards and a drop down menu when collected electronically. The industry of a contributor that is not currently employed shall be considered to be the industry of the person on which they are primarily dependent, if any, provided that if such contributor’s primary source of income is from a pension or retirement account, the industry shall be considered to be the industry in which they were primarily previously employed. Neither the candidate nor his or her principal or authorized committee shall be penalized for a failure by a contributor to furnish information on industry or employer, except that a failure to furnish or obtain such information shall disqualify a contribution from being matchable. Neither the candidate nor his or her principal or authorized committee shall alter or change a signed or affirmed contribution card;

§ 3. Section 3-713 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to add a new subdivision 3, to read as follows:

3. The campaign finance board shall develop and post to its website a list of general industries in the city of New York, with a description of each, representing the majority of industries within the city, including but not limited to: i) real estate, ii) finance and insurance; iii) government employee; iv) organized labor; and v) lobbying. Such list shall be updated at the time that the report required by subdivision 1 of this section is submitted, and at such other times as the board may choose.

§ 4. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.

BJR

LS# 3773

2/20/2019 2:51PM