AI-assisted research summary: Political committees must register with the secretary of state, file required committee information, pay a $50 fee unless exempt, and update registration within 14 days of changes; some committees may omit donor identities but must add a voter disclosure if they do.
(a) Any political committee, except the political committee of a political party, shall register with the secretary of state as provided in this section. Registration shall be made through the secretary of state's online campaign finance system. A political committee may register at any time during the election cycle, but the committee's registration shall be received by the secretary of state not later than 48 hours after the committee meets at least one of the criteria under RSA 664:2, III. The registration shall also be accompanied by an administration fee of $50, unless exempt pursuant to subparagraph (c), which shall be deposited by the secretary of state into the general fund. Registrants shall comply with the reporting requirements contained in RSA 664:6. (b) Each political committee shall designate a treasurer who is a citizen of this state and who is authorized to receive all process and other legal documents on behalf of the political committee, and through whom may be obtained access to all books and records of the political committee. The political committee shall file with the secretary of state a statement of the purpose of the committee and shall indicate whether the committee will be making independent expenditures. The registration shall also include a statement of the name, address, occupation, and principal place of business of its chairperson and treasurer and the names and address of other officers. The committee shall file an amendment to its registration within 14 days of any change in the officers or purpose of the committee. (c) The political committee of a candidate or a political committee of a political party that registers under this chapter shall not be required to pay the $50 administration fee provided in subparagraph (a). II. No member of a political committee which is required to register under RSA 664:3, I, shall do any act directly or indirectly on behalf of the committee to promote the success or defeat of a political party, a measure, or a candidate, unless the requirements of RSA 664:3, I are met. III. All political committees' registrations under this chapter shall be valid from the date of registration through 21 days after the primary or general election, whichever is appropriate, unless terminated sooner, in writing, by the chairperson and the treasurer of the political committee. However, any political committee which has a continuing obligation to report as required under RSA 664:6 shall have its registration automatically renewed according to RSA 664:6, V. IV. Any political committee that is exempt from taxation under sections 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), or 501(c)(6) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986 may disclose, but shall not be required to disclose in its itemized statement of receipts, the identity of its donors. Any political committee affected by this section who chooses not to disclose the identity of its donors shall place the following disclosure on all communications to voters: "This organization has an exemption under federal law and is not required, and chooses not, to disclose its donors." V. For purposes of filing campaign finance reports pursuant to RSA 664:6 and RSA 664:7, a candidate for office may choose to file as a candidate or, if such candidate creates a candidate committee, as a political committee. Source: Source. 1979, 436:1. 1982, 27:1. 1991, 387:11, 12. 1997, 351:59. 2003, 266:6. 2006, 97:1. 2009, 144:225. 2014, 279:5, 6, eff. July 28, 2014. 2021, 168:2, eff. Sept. 28, 2021. 2024, 365:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2025. 2025, 277:11, eff. Sept. 30, 2025.