12-27-3. Statements of organization to be filed for political action committee, candidate campaign committee, and ballot question committee--Violation as misdemeanor. A statement of organization shall be filed as follows:

(1) The treasurer for a political action committee shall file a statement of organization with the secretary of state not later than fifteen days after the date upon which the committee made contributions, received contributions, or paid expenses in excess of five hundred dollars. However, if such activity falls within thirty days of any statewide election, the statement of organization shall be filed within forty-eight hours;

(2) A candidate shall file a statement of organization for a candidate campaign committee with the secretary of state not later than fifteen days after becoming a candidate pursuant to this chapter; and

(3) If the treasurer for a ballot question committee does not file a statement of organization pursuant to chapter 2-1, the treasurer shall file a statement of organization with the secretary of state not later than fifteen days after the date which the committee made contributions, received contributions, or paid expenses in excess of five hundred dollars. However, if such activity falls within thirty days of any statewide election, the statement of organization shall be filed within forty-eight hours.

Any statement of organization may be filed electronically pursuant to § 12-27-41. A political committee that regularly files a campaign finance disclosure statement with another state or the Federal Election Commission or a report of contributions and expenditures with the Internal Revenue Service is not required to file a statement of organization. A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor. A subsequent offense within a calendar year is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Source: SL 2007, ch 80, § 3; SL 2008, ch 67, § 3; SL 2010, ch 76, § 2, eff. Mar. 25, 2010; SL 2012, ch 18, § 9; SL 2013, ch 67, § 4; SL 2017, ch 71, § 3; SL 2018, ch 84, § 4.