Sec. 55.
(1) A corporation organized on a for profit or nonprofit basis, a joint stock company, a domestic dependent sovereign, or a labor organization formed under the laws of this or another state or foreign country may make an expenditure for the establishment and administration and solicitation of contributions to a separate segregated fund to be used for political purposes. A separate segregated fund established under this section shall be limited to making contributions to, and expenditures on behalf of, candidate committees, ballot question committees, political party committees, political committees, independent committees, and other separate segregated funds.
(2) Contributions for a separate segregated fund established by a corporation, organized on a for profit basis, or a joint stock company under this section may be solicited from any of the following persons or their spouses:
(a) Stockholders of the corporation or company.
(b) Officers and directors of the corporation or company.
(c) Employees of the corporation or company who have policy making, managerial, professional, supervisory, or administrative nonclerical responsibilities.
(3) Contributions for a separate segregated fund established under this section by a corporation organized on a nonprofit basis may be solicited from any of the following persons or their spouses:
(a) Members of the corporation who are individuals.
(b) Stockholders or members of members of the corporation.
(c) Officers or directors of members of the corporation.
(d) Employees of the members of the corporation who have policy making, managerial, professional, supervisory, or administrative nonclerical responsibilities.
(e) Employees of the corporation who have policy making, managerial, professional, supervisory, or administrative nonclerical responsibilities.
(4) Contributions for a separate segregated fund established under this section by a labor organization may be solicited from any of the following persons or their spouses:
(a) Members of the labor organization who are individuals.
(b) Officers or directors of the labor organization.
(c) Employees of the labor organization who have policy making, managerial, professional, supervisory, or administrative nonclerical responsibilities.
(5) Contributions for a separate segregated fund established under this section by a domestic dependent sovereign may be solicited from an individual who is a member of any domestic dependent sovereign.
(6) Contributions shall not be obtained for a separate segregated fund established under this section by use of coercion or physical force, by making a contribution a condition of employment or membership, or by using or threatening to use job discrimination or financial reprisals. A corporation organized on a for profit or nonprofit basis, a joint stock company, a domestic dependent sovereign, or a labor organization shall not solicit or obtain contributions for a separate segregated fund established under this section from an individual described in subsection (2), (3), (4), or (5) on an automatic or passive basis including but not limited to a payroll deduction plan or reverse checkoff method. A corporation organized on a for profit or nonprofit basis, a joint stock company, a domestic dependent sovereign, or a labor organization may solicit or obtain contributions for a separate segregated fund established under this section from an individual described in subsection (2), (3), (4), or (5) on an automatic basis, including but not limited to a payroll deduction plan, only if the individual who is contributing to the fund affirmatively consents to the contribution at least once in every calendar year.
(7) A person who knowingly violates this section is guilty of a felony punishable, if the person is an individual, by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 or imprisonment for not more than 3 years, or both, or, if the person is not an individual, by a fine of not more than $10,000.00.
(8) If a corporation, joint stock company, domestic dependent sovereign, or labor organization that obtains contributions for a separate segregated fund from individuals described in subsection (2), (3), (4), or (5) pays to 1 or more of those individuals a bonus or other remuneration for the purpose of reimbursing those contributions, then that corporation, joint stock company, domestic dependent sovereign, or labor organization is subject to a civil fine equal to 2 times the total contributions obtained from all individuals for the separate segregated fund during that calendar year.
History: 1976, Act 388, Eff. June 1, 1977 ;-- Am. 1994, Act 117, Eff. Apr. 1, 1995 ;-- Am. 1995, Act 264, Eff. Mar. 28, 1996 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 277, Imd. Eff. July 3, 2012 ;-- Am. 2013, Act 252, Imd. Eff. Dec. 27, 2013
Last modified: October 10, 2016