text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Electronic Campaign Disclosure Act 
  of 1998''.
  
  SEC. 2. MANDATORY ELECTRONIC PRESERVATION AND FILING OF FEDERAL 
                ELECTION COMMISSION REPORTS; ACCESS THROUGH INTERNET 
                SITE.
  
      (a) Electronic Filing Through the Internet.--Section 304(a)(11) of 
  the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 434(a)(11)) is 
  amended to read as follows:
      ``(11)(A) Through a competitive bidding process, the Commission 
  shall establish a public Internet site not later than January 1, 1999, 
  with the following features:
              ``(i) Any person filing a report required by this Act may 
          post the report directly on the site.
              ``(ii) Any member of the public may obtain the reports 
          posted on the site (together with any other information the 
          Commission may make available through the site) at any time.
              ``(iii) Any information in a report posted on the site 
          shall be subject to the same prohibition on sale and use as 
          information from a report or statement under paragraph (4).
              ``(iv) All information posted on the site shall be 
          integrated in a manner which permits users to search the 
          information across categories and sources.
      ``(B)(i) The Commission shall permit each person required to file a 
  report under this Act to file the report by posting it directly on the 
  Internet site established under subparagraph (A), or by filing it by 
  such electronic method as the Commission may designate to enable the 
  Commission to post the report on such site immediately upon receipt.
      ``(ii) The Commission shall require a person to file a report under 
  this Act in accordance with the methods described in clause (i) during 
  an election cycle if the aggregate amount of contributions or 
  expenditures reported previously by the person during the cycle exceeds 
  $25,000.
      ``(C) The Commission shall provide for one or more methods (other 
  than requiring a signature on the report being filed) for verification 
  of reports filed in accordance with the methods described in 
  subparagraph (B)(i). Any verification under the preceding sentence 
  shall be treated for all purposes (including penalties for perjury) in 
  the same manner as a verification by signature.
      ``(D) As used in this paragraph, the term ``report'' means, with 
  respect to the Commission, a report, designation, or statement required 
  by this Act to be filed with the Commission.''.
      (b) Requiring Commission To Make Software Available.--Section 
  311(a) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 438(a)) is amended--
              (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (9);
              (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (10) and 
          inserting ``; and''; and
              (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
              ``(11) through competitive bidding, obtain and provide for 
          computer software required to carry out section 304(a)(11).''.
      (c) Internet Defined.--Section 301 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 431) is 
  amended by striking paragraph (19) and inserting the following new 
  paragraph:
      ``(19) The term `Internet' means the international computer network 
  of both Federal and non-Federal interoperable packet-switched data 
  networks.''.
  
  SEC. 3. REQUIRING REPORTING OF ALL CONTRIBUTIONS OF $100 OR MORE WITHIN 
                10 DAYS OF RECEIPT.
  
      Section 304 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 
  434) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
      ``(d)(1) If a political committee is required under subsection 
  (a)(11)(B)(ii) to file reports under this Act electronically during an 
  election cycle, the committee shall file a report with the Commission 
  listing each contribution of $100 or more received by the committee 
  during the cycle after the date on which such subsection first applies 
  to the committee. The committee shall file such report not later than 
  10 days after receipt, and shall include the identification of the 
  contributor, the date of receipt and amount of the contribution, and 
  (in the case of an authorized committee of a candidate) the name of the 
  candidate and the office sought by the candidate.
      ``(2) The report required under this paragraph shall be in addition 
  to all other reports required under this Act.''.
  
  SEC. 4. EXPANDING TYPES OF CONTRIBUTIONS TO PRINCIPAL CAMPAIGN 
                COMMITTEES SUBJECT TO EXPEDITED REPORTING; SHORTENING 
                DEADLINE FOR REPORTING TO WITHIN 24 HOURS OF RECEIPT.
  
      Section 304(a)(6) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 
  U.S.C. 434(a)(6)) is amended--
              (1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); 
          and
              (2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new 
          subparagraph:
      ``(B) In the case of a principal campaign committee which is 
  required under subsection (a)(11)(B)(ii) to file reports under this Act 
  electronically during an election cycle, subparagraph (A) shall apply 
  with respect to any contribution received by the committee after the 
  date on which such subsection first applies to the committee as if--
              ``(i) the reference to `$1,000' were a reference to `$100';
              ``(ii) the reference to `20th day' were a reference to 
          `90th day'; and
              ``(iii) the reference in the second sentence to `48 hours' 
          were a reference to `24 hours'.''.
  
  SEC. 5. ELECTION CYCLE DEFINED.
  
      Section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 
  431) is amended by striking paragraph (19) and inserting the following 
  new paragraph:
      ``(19) The term `election cycle' means--
              ``(A) in the case of a candidate or the authorized 
          committees of a candidate, the term beginning on the day after 
          the date of the most recent general election for the specific 
          office or seat which such candidate seeks and ending on the 
          date of the next general election for such office or seat; or
              ``(B) for all other persons, the term beginning on the 
          first day following the date of the last general election and 
          ending on the date of the next general election.''.
  
  SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.
  
      The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to 
  elections occurring after January 1999.
target: Electronic Campaign Disclosure Act of 1998 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to require the Federal Election Commission to:  (1) establish a specified public Internet site not later than January 1, 1999; (2) permit persons required to file reports under FECA to file such reports by directly posting them on the Internet site or by filing them electronically to enable the Commission to post reports on such site immediately upon receipt; (3) provide for one or more methods (other than requiring a signature on the reports being filed) for verification of reports filed in accordance with the methods described in the preceding; (4) require a person to file a report in accordance with the methods described during an election cycle if the aggregate amount of contributions and expenditures reported previously by the person during the cycle exceeds $25,000; and (5) obtain and provide for computer software required to carry out this Act through competitive bidding. 
  Requires that if a political committee is required to file reports electronically during an election cycle, the committee shall file a report listing each contribution of $100 or more received by the committee not later than ten days after receipt and include the contributor's identification, the date of receipt and the contribution amount, and (in the case of a candidate's authorized committee) the candidate's name and the office sought by the candidate. 
  Expands the types of contributions required to be reported by principal campaign committees subject to the mandatory electronic reporting requirements under this Act and changes the deadline for reporting such contributions by any authorized committee of a candidate.
feat_title: Electronic Campaign Disclosure Act of 1998