Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws > Chapter 17-25.2 - Ballot Question Advocacy and Reporting

• 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.
• Ballot question: means any question, charter change, constitutional amendment, referendum or voter initiated petition placed on any state, district, city, town or municipal ballot for a general or special election. See Rhode Island General Laws 17-25.2-3
• Ballot question advocacy: means advocating the passage or defeat of a ballot question. See Rhode Island General Laws 17-25.2-3
• Ballot question advocate: means (i) for purposes of referenda as defined in § 17-5-1 of the general laws only, any exempt nonprofit as defined in § 17-25-3 or any organization described under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States; and (ii) for all other ballot questions as defined herein, any person making an expenditure with a cumulative total that exceeds one thousand dollars ($1,000) in a calendar year for ballot-question advocacy on a particular ballot question. See Rhode Island General Laws 17-25.2-3
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Contributions: means donations to a ballot-question advocate in the form of money, gifts, loans, paid personal services, or in-kind contributions as defined herein. See Rhode Island General Laws 17-25.2-3
• 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.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Election cycle: means the twenty-four (24) month period commencing on January 1 of odd number years and ending on December 31 of even number years. See Rhode Island General Laws 17-25.2-3
• Expenditures: means the payment for any goods and services for the purpose of ballot-question advocacy as set forth in this paragraph:

  (i)  Any media advertising services or products, including, but not limited to, newspapers, radio stations or television stations;

  (ii)  General advertising in letters, brochures, flyers, handbills, lawn signs, posters, bumper stickers, buttons or other materials except for newsletters and other communications paid for and transmitted by an organization to its own members and not to the general public; or

  (iii)  Paid personal services donated to any ballot-question advocate including advertising agency services or other professional services including accounting services, printing, secretarial services, public opinion polls, research and professional campaign consultation or management, media production or computer services. See Rhode Island General Laws 17-25.2-3

• 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.
• 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.
• Person: means any individual, partnership, committee, association, corporation, city, town, or other governmental unit and any other organization. See Rhode Island General Laws 17-25.2-3
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9
• United States: include the several states and the territories of the United States. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-8