AN ACT relating to campaign finance.
     Create new sections of KRS Chapter 121 to define terms; require person making an independent expenditure to report such if the amount exceeds $500 in the aggregate in any 1 election; establish campaign contribution limits for candidates, slates of candidates, and candidate campaign committees; establish campaign contribution limits for caucus campaign committees; establish campaign contribution limits for political issues committees; establish campaign contribution limits for permanent committees; establish campaign contribution limits for executive committees and to permit the establishment of a building account; establish campaign contribution limits for inaugural committees; establish campaign contribution limits for individuals; permit candidates, slates of candidates, committees, referendum committees, and individuals to utilize on-line credit and debit card transactions; to provide for reporting exemptions for any candidate, slate, or political issues committee if a form is filed stating that contributions will not be accepted or expended in excess of $5,000 in any 1 election; to require that referendum committees register with the registry and report all contributions and expenditures if the committee raises or expends $5,000 or more to get the question on the ballot in an area greater than 1 county or $2,500 or more to get a question on a ballot in an area in size equal to or less than 1 county; require exempted candidates for city or county offices or for school boards to file reports if they accept contributions or make expenditures in excess of the exempted amount in any 1 election; require candidates or slates of candidates subject to an August filing deadline to timely file for an exemption and to permit such candidates or slates to exercise reversion rights; permit the exercise of reversion rights by a candidate or slate of candidates if an opponent is replaced due to death, disability, or disqualification not later than 15 days after the party nominates the replacement; permit write-in candidates to request an exemption; establish that exempted candidate campaign committees, referendum committees, and political issues committees are bound to the terms of the exemption unless is it rescinded timely; establish penalties and fines for candidates, slates of candidates, referendum committees, candidate campaign committees, or political issues committees which accept contributions or make expenditures in excess of the limit in any 1 election without rescinding the exemption in a timely manner; require state and county executive committees, and caucus campaign committees to make a full report to the registry of all money, loans, and expenditures made since the date of the last report; establish reporting requirements of candidates, slates of candidates, candidate campaign committees, referendum committees, political issues committees, and registered fundraisers; require all reporting candidates, candidate campaign committees, referendum committees, political issues committees, and registered fund-raisers to make post-election reports; require that detailed information be maintained by the treasurer for 6 years from the date of the election to which the records pertain, but not to exceed 6 years; require certain permanent committees to make a full specified report to the registry of all money, loans, and expenditures since the date of the last report; require a supplemental report be filed annually until an account shows no unexpended balance; require that all reports filed with the registry be subject to open records and to require county clerks to maintain such reports for 1 year from the date the last report is required to be filed; relieve candidates and slates from personally filing reports under certain conditions; prohibit the use of funds for candidacy for a different office, support or oppose different issue, or to further the candidacy of another candidate or slate of candidates for office; require all media offering communications or advertising services to file with the registry and to make specific disclosures; require a paper format report until the registry deems it not longer necessary to do so; require the registry to promulgate administrative regulations to establish a de minimus standard; amend KRS 121.120 to except those candidates, candidate campaign committees, and slates of candidates running for state-wide office from mandatory audits of receipts and expenditures that receive or spend less than $5,000; amend KRS 121.135 to authorize the general counsel to the registry to write an advisory opinion and to require advisory opinions to be issued not later than 20 days from the date the registry receives the request; amend KRS 121.140 to define "frivolous complaint" and to authorize the registry to impose a civil penalty for the filing of frivolous complaints; amend KRS 121.160 to require the maintenance of certain records as a duty of a treasurer; amend KRS 121.170 to require permanent committees to provide a list of their affiliations with other permanent committees at the time of registration with the registry; amend KRS 121.190 to require candidates to express "approval" of the content of advertisements; amend KRS 121.220 to require separate account for each election; amend KRS 121.230 to lower the threshold for itemization of expenditures by check from $50 to $25; amend KRS 121.210, 121.056, 121.990, KRS 61.710, and KRS 23A.070 to conform; to establish the effective date of this Act to be November 8, 2006; repeal KRS 121.015, 121.150; and 121.180.

     Feb 23-introduced in House
     Feb 24-to Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)
     Feb 28-posted in committee
     Mar 9-reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute
     Mar 10-2nd reading, to Rules
     Mar 13-posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 14, 2006
     Mar 14-floor amendments (1) and (2) filed to Committee Substitute
     Mar 16-floor amendments (3) and (4) filed to Committee Substitute
     Mar 20-floor amendment (5) filed to Committee Substitute, floor amendment (6) filed ; taken from the Orders of the Day; returned to Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)
     Mar 21-reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (2) ; placed in the Orders of the Day
     Mar 22-3rd reading, passed 97-0 with Committee Substitute (2)
     Mar 23-received in Senate
     Mar 24-to State and Local Government (S)