(1) The Secretary of State by rule shall adopt an electronic filing system to be used by:
(a) All candidates and political committees to file with the secretary statements of contributions received and expenditures made by the candidates and political committees, as described in ORS 260.083; and
(b) Treasurers appointed by the chief petitioners of initiative, referendum or recall petitions under ORS 260.118 to file with the secretary statements of contributions received and expenditures made by the treasurers and chief petitioners.
(2)(a) A candidate for nomination or election at any primary or general election or a political committee supporting or opposing a candidate or measure at any primary or general election shall file a statement described in subsection (1) of this section not later than seven calendar days after a contribution is received or an expenditure is made. This paragraph applies to contributions received and expenditures made during the period beginning on the 42nd calendar day before the date of any primary election and ending on the date of the primary election and the period beginning on the 42nd calendar day before the date of any general election and ending on the date of the general election.
(b) For any special election, the secretary by rule may establish a period during which a candidate for nomination or election at the special election or a political committee supporting or opposing a candidate or measure at the special election must file a statement described in subsection (1) of this section not later than seven calendar days after a contribution is received or an expenditure is made.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, during a period not described in subsection (2) of this section, a candidate or political committee shall file a statement described in subsection (1) of this section not later than 30 calendar days after a contribution is received or an expenditure is made.
(4)(a) If a candidate for nomination or election at any primary election or a political committee supporting or opposing a candidate or measure at any primary election receives a contribution or makes an expenditure prior to the 42nd calendar day before the date of the primary election and the candidate or political committee has not filed a statement of the contribution or expenditure under subsection (3) of this section by the 43rd calendar day before the date of the primary election, the candidate or political committee shall file a statement described in subsection (1) of this section not later than the 35th calendar day before the date of the primary election.
(b) If a candidate for nomination or election at any general election or a political committee supporting or opposing a candidate or measure at any general election receives a contribution or makes an expenditure prior to the 42nd calendar day before the date of the general election and the candidate or political committee has not filed a statement of the contribution or expenditure under subsection (3) of this section by the 43rd calendar day before the date of the general election, the candidate or political committee shall file a statement described in subsection (1) of this section not later than the 35th calendar day before the date of the general election.
(5) The electronic filing system shall be provided free of charge by the secretary and:
(a) Accept electronic files that conform to the format prescribed by the secretary by rule; or
(b) Be compatible with any other electronic filing application provided or approved by the secretary.
(6)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, the secretary shall make all data filed electronically under this section and all information filed with the secretary under ORS 260.044, 260.045, 260.049, 260.085, 260.102 or 260.118 available on the Internet to the public free of charge according to a schedule adopted by the secretary by rule. The secretary shall make the data available in a searchable database that is easily accessible by the public.
(b) The secretary may not make data that are filed electronically under this section or ORS 260.118 available to the public under this section, unless the data are required to be listed under ORS 260.083. The secretary may not disclose under ORS 192.410 to 192.505 any data that are filed electronically under this section or ORS 260.118, unless the data are required to be listed under ORS 260.083.
(7)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, each statement required by this section shall be signed and certified as true by the candidate or treasurer required to file it. Signatures shall be supplied in the manner specified by the secretary by rule.
(b) A candidate or treasurer may designate a person to sign and certify as true a statement required by this section. The designation must be filed in writing with the secretary and must be renewed for each two-year period beginning January 1 of an even-numbered year.
(8) Subsections (1) to (7) of this section do not apply to:
(a) Candidates for federal office;
(b) Candidates who are not required to file a statement of organization under ORS 260.043; or
(c) Candidates or political committees who file certificates under ORS 260.112. [2005 c.809 §14; 2007 c.570 §1; 2007 c.848 §12]
Note: Section 55, chapter 809, Oregon Laws 2005, provides:
Sec. 55. (1) During the period beginning on January 1, 2007, and ending on December 31, 2008, in setting the amount of a civil penalty under ORS 260.232, as amended by section 41 of this 2005 Act, for a violation involving a statement required to be filed using the electronic filing system described in section 14 of this 2005 Act [260.057], the Secretary of State shall consider as a mitigating circumstance any issues arising from the transition from a paper filing system to an electronic filing system for the filing of statements of contributions received and expenditures made under ORS chapter 260.
(2) This section is repealed January 2, 2010. [2005 c.809 §55]
Section: Previous 260.046 260.049 260.050 260.052 260.054 260.055 260.056 260.057 260.058 260.060 260.062 260.063 260.065 260.067 260.068 NextLast modified: August 7, 2008