(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a corporation that uses corporate funds, moneys or credits for communications expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate which funds, moneys or credits are not used with the cooperation or with the prior consent of, or in consultation with, or at the request of, or suggestion of, a candidate or any agent or authorized committee of the candidate shall be considered a political campaign committee for purposes of reporting such expenditures. The corporation shall be required to file reports required by § 2-10-105(c)(1) and an appointment of treasurer form.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 2-10-132

  • Candidate: means an individual who has made a formal announcement of candidacy or who is qualified under the law of this state to seek nomination for election or elections to public office, or has received contributions or made expenditures except for incidental expenditures to determine if one shall be a candidate, or has given consent for a campaign committee to receive contributions or make expenditures with a view to bringing about the individual's nomination for election or election to state public office. See Tennessee Code 2-10-102
  • Code: includes the Tennessee Code and all amendments and revisions to the code and all additions and supplements to the code. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • 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.
  • Election: means any general, special or primary election or run-off election, held to approve or disapprove a measure or nominate or elect a candidate for public office. See Tennessee Code 2-10-102
  • 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.
  • Person: means an individual, partnership, committee, association, corporation, labor organization or any other organization or group of persons. See Tennessee Code 2-10-102
  • Political campaign committee: means :
    (A) Any corporation or any other organization making expenditures, except as provided in subdivision (4), to support or oppose a measure. See Tennessee Code 2-10-102
  • 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.
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b)

(1) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, an organization that is tax exempt under United States Internal Revenue Service Code § 501(c)(4), (5), or (6) (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(4), (5), or (6)) is required to report expenditures in accordance with § 2-10-105(c)(1) and (h) during the remainder of an election year and certify the name and address of any person who directly controls such expenditures along with any such person’s evidence of identification as defined in § 2-10-105(e)(3)(C) to the registry of election finance if:

(A) The organization expends an aggregate total of at least five thousand dollars ($5,000) in organizational funds, moneys, or credits for communications that expressly contain the name or visually depict the likeness of a state candidate in a primary or general election; and
(B) Such expenditures or communications occur within sixty (60) calendar days immediately preceding a primary or general election in which the named or visually depicted candidate appears on the ballot.
(2) This subsection (b) does not require an organization that is tax exempt under United States Internal Revenue Service Code § 501(c)(4), (5), or (6) (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(4), (5), or (6)) to report any form of contributions.
(3) As used in this subsection (b), “communications” does not include:

(A) Any communication by any membership organization solely to its members, employees, or to any person who has expressly consented to receiving communications from the organization;
(B) Any communication made prior to the period described in subdivision (b)(1)(B) but that remains accessible during the period; provided, that such communication is not actively promoted or distributed by the organization within the period to the public at large excluding any person described in subdivision (b)(3)(A); or
(C) Any communication made to an official in the legislative branch or an official in the executive branch during any session of the general assembly.