2021 Platform

For the 2021 session of the Florida legislature we will solicit sponsors and pursue legislation to accomplish the following reforms:

1) Eliminate slush funds and laundering of campaign contributions

– Prohibit candidates and elected officials from soliciting funds for political committees and electioneering communications organizations

– Prohibit candidates and elected officials from coordinating with political committees and electioneering communications organizations

– Prohibit transfers of funds and contributions between political parties, political committees and electioneering communications organizations

– Expand prohibition in F.S. 106.15(3) to include any “public servant.”

– Amend F.S. 106.15(4) so that a candidate cannot solicit or knowingly accept any political contribution in a building owned or leased by a governmental entity.

– Strike the two year statute of limitations under F.S. 106.28. Amend F.S. 106.06(3) to conform with any new statute of limitations period

– Eliminate “3-pack” advertising under F.S. 106.021(3)(d).

2) Tougher disclosure rules, penalties and enforcement

– Change the way the Elections Commission is allowed to initiate investigations under 106.25(1), by striking the sentence “such sworn complaints must be based upon personal information or information other than hearsay.”

– Provide Elections Commission and staff independent authority to investigate based on a super majority vote by the Commission to be initiated.

– Amend the Commission’s jurisdiction under 106.25(3) to include “willful” criminal violations and “willful and non-willful” civil violations.

– Have the Elections Commission follow the Administrative Procedure Act as does the Commission on Ethics and provide the Elections Commission with final order authority rather than DOAH.

– Give the Elections Commission both the authority and the ability to audit campaign finance reports.

– The Legislature should define the term “residency” to require a candidate actually live in the district at the time the candidate is running for or elected to serve any office.

– Give the Elections Commission both the authority and the ability to investigate residency violations by candidates.

– Mandate that filing officers (Division of Elections, county supervisors of elections, and city clerks) report to the Elections Commission any potential violation of election or campaign finance laws.

– Create a separate civil violation for a candidate or official who is a repeat late filer under F.S. 106.07.

– Direct and provide funding for the Florida Division of Elections and local supervisors of elections to create an enhanced statewide campaign finance website with all state and local filings in an electronic, open format.

– Require all expenditures to clearly state a purpose along with the name of the intended candidate or issue and position of for or against.

3) Disclose all gifts

– Disclose all travel, meals and lodging paid for by campaign accounts, political parties, political committees and electioneering communications organizations

– Create a state electronic portal and program which allows all required financial and gift disclosure forms as well as all other filings with the Commission on Ethics to be filed electronically.

– Make it a misdemeanor criminal offense for any public official who fails to file a required disclosure form within ninety (90) days after the required date of filing.

– Mandate that a gift disclosure form be filed even if the person subject to disclosure has not received any gifts, thus affirmatively stating he has received no gifts.

– Require the person receiving a gift under F.S. 112.3148(5)(b) be subject to the reporting requirements.

– Make the gift reporting amounts based on an annual dollar figure rather than on an individual gift basis.