Senate Bill No. 123–Senator Titus

 

February 13, 2003

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Referred to Committee on Government Affairs

 

SUMMARY—Prohibits state and local governments under certain circumstances from paying for publications that prominently feature current public officers who are candidates for elective office. (BDR 24‑214)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                           Effect on the State: No.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to campaign practices; prohibiting state and local governments under certain circumstances from paying for publications that prominently feature current public officers who are candidates for elective office; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1  Section 1.  NRS 293.725 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-2  293.725  1.  The government of this state or a political

1-3  subdivision of this state or an agency thereof shall not incur an

1-4  expense or make an expenditure to support or oppose:

1-5  [1.] (a) A ballot question.

1-6  [2.] (b) A candidate.

1-7  2.  For the purposes of paragraph (b) of subsection 1, an

1-8  expense incurred or an expenditure made by an entity specified in

1-9  subsection 1 shall be considered an expense incurred or an

1-10  expenditure made in support of a candidate if:

1-11      (a) The expense is incurred or the expenditure is made for the

1-12  creation or dissemination of a pamphlet, brochure or

1-13  advertisement that prominently features the activities of a current

1-14  public officer of the entity who is a candidate for a state, local or

1-15  federal elective office; and

2-1  (b) The pamphlet, brochure or advertisement described in

2-2  paragraph (a) is created or disseminated during the period

2-3  specified in subsection 3.

2-4  3.  The period during which the provisions of subsection 2

2-5  apply to a particular entity specified in subsection 1 begins when a

2-6  current public officer of that entity files a declaration of candidacy

2-7  or acceptance of candidacy and ends on the date of the general

2-8  election, general city election or special election for the office for

2-9  which the current public officer of the entity is a candidate.

2-10      4.  As used in this section, a “pamphlet, brochure or

2-11  advertisement” does not include:

2-12      (a) A press release issued to the media by an entity specified in

2-13  subsection 1; or

2-14      (b) The official website of an entity specified in subsection 1.

 

2-15  H