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2001 SESSION


CHAPTER 794
An Act to amend and reenact § 24.2-915 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-906.1, relating to the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act; exemption from reporting requirements for certain candidates for local office.
[H 1708]
Approved April 4, 2001

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 24.2-915 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 24.2-906.1 as follows:

§ 24.2-906.1. Exemption from reporting requirements for certain candidates for local office.

This section shall apply to candidates for local office. A candidate for local office may seek an exemption from the requirements for filing disclosure reports of contributions and expenditures set out in Article 4 (§ 24.2-914 et seq.) of Chapter 9 of Title 24.2 except for the filing requirements of §§ 24.2-919 and 24.2-920 pertaining to certain large contributions and the filing of a final report. The request for an exemption shall be filed with the electoral board of the county or city where the candidate resides on a form prescribed by the State Board of Elections and in accordance with instructions by the State Board for the time for filing and the process for approval by the electoral board.

To qualify for an exemption, the candidate shall certify on the form that (i) he has not and will not solicit or accept any contribution from any other person during the course of his campaign, (ii) he has not and will not contribute to his own campaign more than $1,000, (iii) he has not and will not expend more than $1,000 in the course of his campaign, and (iv) that he has complied and will comply with the requirements of this article (§ 24.2-904 et seq.). This certification shall apply for the duration of the campaign until the filing of a final report in compliance with § 24.2-920 after the election. A candidate may rescind his certification and exemption at any time during the campaign and shall file in accordance with the appropriate filing schedule thereafter, provided that the candidate rescinds his certification prior to engaging in the activities described in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of this section. The first report filed shall account for all prior contributions and expenditures pertaining to his campaign.

§ 24.2-915. With whom candidates to file reports; responsibility for reporting.

Electronic reports shall be filed by candidates for nomination or election for statewide office and the General Assembly with the State Board. Nonelectronic reports for the General Assembly shall be filed with the State Board and with the electoral board of the locality where the candidate resides, except as otherwise provided in § 24.2-919. For any other office Except as provided in § 24.2-906.1, candidates for any other office shall file with the electoral board of the locality in which the candidate resides.

It is the joint responsibility of the candidate and his treasurer that the report of a candidate be filed, that the report be in full and accurate detail, and that the report be received by the State Board, local electoral board, or both, by the deadline for filing the report. Any report to be filed with the State Board may be mailed. If mailed, the report must be postmarked not later than the deadline for filing, except as provided in § 24.2-919 for certain large pre-election contributions.