12-27-16.1. Statements and disclaimers regarding independent communication expenditures--Control by candidate or political committee--Violation as misdemeanor.

Any political committee, entity, or person that makes a communication clearly identifying a candidate, public office holder, ballot question, or political committee, other than an independent communication expenditure that is not controlled by, coordinated with, requested by, or made upon consultation with that candidate, political committee, or agent of a candidate or political committee, shall append to or include in each communication a disclaimer that:

(1)    Identifies the political committee, entity, or person making the communication; and

(2)    States the address or website address, if applicable, of the political committee, entity, or person.

If the communication is an independent expenditure made by a person or entity, then the disclaimer shall include the following: "This communication is independently funded and not made in consultation with any candidate, political party, or political committee." If the independent expenditure is undertaken by an entity not including a candidate, public office holder, political party, or political committee, then the following notation must also be included: "Top Five Contributors," including a listing of the names of the five persons making the largest contributions to an entity during the twelve months preceding that communication. Any person or entity making a communication under this section has the same reporting requirements as § 12-27-16. Any political committee making a communication under this section shall include each communication as an expenditure on the campaign finance disclosure report.

A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor. Any subsequent offense within a calendar year is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Source: SL 2017, ch 72, § 17, eff. Feb. 2, 2017; SL 2017, ch 71, § 17.