§ 1 Definitions
§ 2 Accounts of contributions and expenditures; violations; penalties
§ 3 Director of campaign and political finance; selection; term; powers and duties; judicial review of decisions; procedure for violations; penalties; disclosure of fund transfers
§ 5 Political committees; statement of organization; officers; duties; expenditures; incorporation; penalties
§ 5A Elected public officials; principal officers of political action committees
§ 5B Names or phrases identifying political committees in organizational statements
§ 5C Online training program for treasurers of political committees
§ 6 Restrictions on expenditures; penalties
§ 6A Contributions from political action committees; limitations
§ 6B Ballot question committee; contributions
§ 7 Receipts, disbursements and contributions regulated; limitations; penalties
§ 7A Campaign contributions to candidates from individuals; limitation; contributions from legislative and executive agents; contributions from gaming licensee
§ 8 Political contributions by corporations; penalties
§ 8A Media organization offering time and space to qualified candidates at no cost or reduced price; limitations
§ 9 Contributions and expenditures over $50 or $100; use of credit or debit card by committee; penalties
§ 9A Contributions by electronic means; acceptance by political action committees; authorization cards
§ 9B Joint contributions to be attributed equally to each contributor when unspecified; rules and regulations for joint contributions
§ 10 Name and address of donor; disclosure; penalties
§ 10A Treatment of contributions to candidates through intermediaries or conduits
§ 11 Solicitations from candidates prohibited; exception; penalties
§ 12 Soliciting of money for nomination papers prohibited; penalties
§ 13 Solicitation or receipt of political campaign contributions by appointive public officers or employees prohibited; exception; penalties
§ 14 Soliciting contributions in public buildings prohibited; penalties
§ 15 Political contributions by public officers or employees restricted; penalties
§ 16 Requiring political contributions or services of persons in public service prohibited; penalty
§ 16A Obligation to make political contribution or render political service; penalty
§ 16B Obligation to make political contributions or render political service by persons employed for compensation; penalties
§ 17 Public service status of officers or employees protected relative to political contributions; penalty
§ 18 Reports of contributions and expenditures; persons required to file; contents; reporting periods; time limits; penalties
§ 18A Reports of independent expenditures
§ 18B Candidate or elected official sponsoring fund raising event on behalf of non-resident candidate; reports of contributions; penalty
§ 18C Electronic reporting system for campaign finance reports and financial activity statements
§ 18D Expenditures paid by or to vendors on behalf of political committee or on behalf of individual or group required to file report of ballot question expenditures
§ 18E Legal defense, inauguration or recount funds
§ 18F Electioneering communication expenditures
§ 18G Independent expenditure or electioneering communication; disclosure statement regarding identity of financially responsible individual or entity; form; disclosure of top contributors; penalty for violation
§ 19 Campaign funds; designation of depository
§ 22 Persons or corporations making contributions; filing of reports with director; penalties
§ 22A Expenditures for political purpose; report; punishment for violation; examination of accounts
§ 23 Persons acting for political committees; accounts and vouchers to treasurers
§ 24 Place for filing statements or reports; signing
§ 25 Preservation of statements and reports by director; public inspection and reproduction
§ 26 Preservation of statements and reports by city or town clerk; public inspection and reproduction; posting of campaign finance reports required by Sec. 18 on website
§ 27 Furnishing forms for statements and reports, and summary of chapter
§ 28 Inspection of statements and reports; delinquencies; notice; filing
§ 29 Failure to file statement, report or affidavit; notice to and duties of director and attorney general
§ 30 Courts’ authority to compel filing of statements
§ 31 Immunity of witnesses
§ 32 Corrupt practices by candidate defined
§ 33 Election petitions for corrupt practices; procedure
§ 34 Application of preceding sections
§ 35 Inquests upon complaint for violations
§ 36 Conduct of inquests
§ 37 Witnesses; attendance; process; fees
§ 38 Stenographer
§ 39 Witnesses; binding over to superior court
§ 40 Apprehension of offenders
§ 41 Witnesses; compulsory testimony; immunity
§ 42 Forwarding certified copy of record of final judgment or conviction to city or town clerk; disqualification of defendant as voter

Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws > Chapter 55 - Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Expenditures and Contributions

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
  • Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
  • Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
  • Interests: includes any form of membership in a domestic or foreign nonprofit corporation. See Massachusetts General Laws ch. 156D sec. 11.01
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. Source: OCC
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Other entity: includes a domestic or foreign nonprofit corporation. See Massachusetts General Laws ch. 156D sec. 11.01
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.