article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Electronic Campaign Disclosure Act of 1998''. SEC. 2. MANDATORY ELECTRONIC PRESERVATION AND FILING OF FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION REPORTS; ACCESS THROUGH INTERNET SITE. (a) Electronic Filing Through the Internet.--Section 304(a)(11) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 434(a)(11)) is amended to read as follows: ``(11)(A) Through a competitive bidding process, the Commission shall establish a public Internet site not later than January 1, 1999, with the following features: ``(i) Any person filing a report required by this Act may post the report directly on the site. ``(ii) Any member of the public may obtain the reports posted on the site (together with any other information the Commission may make available through the site) at any time. ``(iii) Any information in a report posted on the site shall be subject to the same prohibition on sale and use as information from a report or statement under paragraph (4). ``(iv) All information posted on the site shall be integrated in a manner which permits users to search the information across categories and sources. ``(B)(i) The Commission shall permit each person required to file a report under this Act to file the report by posting it directly on the Internet site established under subparagraph (A), or by filing it by such electronic method as the Commission may designate to enable the Commission to post the report on such site immediately upon receipt. ``(ii) The Commission shall require a person to file a report under this Act in accordance with the methods described in clause (i) during an election cycle if the aggregate amount of contributions or expenditures reported previously by the person during the cycle exceeds $25,000. ``(C) The Commission shall provide for one or more methods (other than requiring a signature on the report being filed) for verification of reports filed in accordance with the methods described in subparagraph (B)(i). Any verification under the preceding sentence shall be treated for all purposes (including penalties for perjury) in the same manner as a verification by signature. ``(D) As used in this paragraph, the term ``report'' means, with respect to the Commission, a report, designation, or statement required by this Act to be filed with the Commission.''. (b) Requiring Commission To Make Software Available.--Section 311(a) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 438(a)) is amended-- (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (9); (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (10) and inserting ``; and''; and (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ``(11) through competitive bidding, obtain and provide for computer software required to carry out section 304(a)(11).''. (c) Internet Defined.--Section 301 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 431) is amended by striking paragraph (19) and inserting the following new paragraph: ``(19) The term `Internet' means the international computer network of both Federal and non-Federal interoperable packet-switched data networks.''. SEC. 3. REQUIRING REPORTING OF ALL CONTRIBUTIONS OF $100 OR MORE WITHIN 10 DAYS OF RECEIPT. Section 304 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 434) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(d)(1) If a political committee is required under subsection (a)(11)(B)(ii) to file reports under this Act electronically during an election cycle, the committee shall file a report with the Commission listing each contribution of $100 or more received by the committee during the cycle after the date on which such subsection first applies to the committee. The committee shall file such report not later than 10 days after receipt, and shall include the identification of the contributor, the date of receipt and amount of the contribution, and (in the case of an authorized committee of a candidate) the name of the candidate and the office sought by the candidate. ``(2) The report required under this paragraph shall be in addition to all other reports required under this Act.''. SEC. 4. EXPANDING TYPES OF CONTRIBUTIONS TO PRINCIPAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEES SUBJECT TO EXPEDITED REPORTING; SHORTENING DEADLINE FOR REPORTING TO WITHIN 24 HOURS OF RECEIPT. Section 304(a)(6) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 434(a)(6)) is amended-- (1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph: ``(B) In the case of a principal campaign committee which is required under subsection (a)(11)(B)(ii) to file reports under this Act electronically during an election cycle, subparagraph (A) shall apply with respect to any contribution received by the committee after the date on which such subsection first applies to the committee as if-- ``(i) the reference to `$1,000' were a reference to `$100'; ``(ii) the reference to `20th day' were a reference to `90th day'; and ``(iii) the reference in the second sentence to `48 hours' were a reference to `24 hours'.''. SEC. 5. ELECTION CYCLE DEFINED. Section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431) is amended by striking paragraph (19) and inserting the following new paragraph: ``(19) The term `election cycle' means-- ``(A) in the case of a candidate or the authorized committees of a candidate, the term beginning on the day after the date of the most recent general election for the specific office or seat which such candidate seeks and ending on the date of the next general election for such office or seat; or ``(B) for all other persons, the term beginning on the first day following the date of the last general election and ending on the date of the next general election.''. SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to elections occurring after January 1999.
summary: Electronic Campaign Disclosure Act of 1998 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to require the Federal Election Commission to: (1) establish a specified public Internet site not later than January 1, 1999; (2) permit persons required to file reports under FECA to file such reports by directly posting them on the Internet site or by filing them electronically to enable the Commission to post reports on such site immediately upon receipt; (3) provide for one or more methods (other than requiring a signature on the reports being filed) for verification of reports filed in accordance with the methods described in the preceding; (4) require a person to file a report in accordance with the methods described during an election cycle if the aggregate amount of contributions and expenditures reported previously by the person during the cycle exceeds $25,000; and (5) obtain and provide for computer software required to carry out this Act through competitive bidding. Requires that if a political committee is required to file reports electronically during an election cycle, the committee shall file a report listing each contribution of $100 or more received by the committee not later than ten days after receipt and include the contributor's identification, the date of receipt and the contribution amount, and (in the case of a candidate's authorized committee) the candidate's name and the office sought by the candidate. Expands the types of contributions required to be reported by principal campaign committees subject to the mandatory electronic reporting requirements under this Act and changes the deadline for reporting such contributions by any authorized committee of a candidate.