This bill proposes amendments to West Virginia's campaign finance reporting laws, specifically increasing the civil penalties for failing to file required reports or for submitting grossly incomplete or inaccurate reports. The penalties will rise from $10 per day to a maximum of $500 for the first violation, and $1,000 per report for any subsequent violations. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Secretary of State must provide written notice to political committees regarding any violations before imposing fines, allowing a grace period of seven days for filing the required reports and ten days for correcting inaccuracies. The Secretary of State is also granted the authority to extend compliance deadlines by an additional 14 days for good cause.

Furthermore, the bill outlines procedures for the collection of civil penalties, stating that if fines remain unpaid for over 30 days, they will be referred to a debt collection agency. It also requires the Secretary of State to publish a list of late filers online, ensuring transparency and accountability. The overall aim of the bill is to enhance compliance with campaign finance laws and impose stricter penalties for non-compliance, thereby promoting integrity in the electoral process.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 3-8-7