Section 17-5-14.1 - Establishment of segregated, separate political funds; voluntary contributions; filing of disclosure reports; violations(a) Any business or nonprofit corporation, incorporated under the laws of or doing business in this state, or any officer or agent acting on behalf of the corporation may give, pay, expend, or contribute money, services, anything of value for the purposes of establishing, administering, or soliciting voluntary contributions to a separate, segregated fund which can be utilized for political purposes (i) to aid or promote the nomination or election of any person, including an incumbent political officeholder or any other person who is or becomes a candidate for political office; or (ii) to aid or promote the interest or success, or defeat of any political party or political proposition. Any separate, segregated fund established hereunder for any of the above enumerated purposes shall be established and administered pursuant to the following requirements and prohibitions:(1) Any such business or nonprofit corporation, or any officer or agent acting on behalf of such business or nonprofit corporation, may solicit voluntary contributions to the fund only from the corporation's, or its affiliates', stockholders and their families and its employees and their families; or in the case of a nonprofit corporation, its members and their employees. However, the funds may accept voluntary contributions from any individuals.(2) The custodians of any separate, segregated political fund established hereunder shall file with the Secretary of State such financial disclosure reports or statements now required of a candidate for public office. Filing with the Secretary of State a copy of the information required to be filed with the Federal Election Commission by such separate, segregated fund shall constitute compliance with the reporting provisions of this section.(b) It shall be unlawful: (1) For any separate, segregated political fund established pursuant to this section or for any person acting on behalf of the fund to solicit or secure any money or anything of value by physical force, job discrimination, or financial reprisals, or by threats thereof; by dues, fees, or other moneys required as a condition of employment; or by moneys obtained in any commercial transaction;(2) For any person soliciting contributions to the fund to fail to inform any person being solicited of the political purposes of the fund at the time of the solicitation;(3) For any person soliciting for a contribution to the fund to fail to inform the person being solicited, at the time of the solicitation, of his or her right to refuse to contribute without any reprisal; and(4) For any corporation regulated by the Public Service Commission to pass on to its customers any contribution made for the purpose of establishing, administering, or soliciting voluntary contributions to a separate, segregated fund to be utilized for political purposes.Ala. Code § 17-5-14.1 (1975)
Added by Act 2013-311,§ 2, eff. 8/1/2013.