§ 20-1001. Definitions. 63
   For purposes of this Chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
   (1)   Board of Ethics or Board. The Board of Ethics created under Section 3-100(e) of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter. 64
   (2)   Campaign. A candidate, the candidate's candidate political committee and its officers, and agents of any of them.
   (3)   Candidate.
      (a)   An individual who files nomination papers or petitions for City elective office;
      (b)   An individual who publicly announces his or her candidacy for City elective office.
   (4)   Candidate political committee. The one political committee used by a candidate to receive all contributions and make all expenditures as required by Section 20-1003.
   (5)   City Commissioners. The City Commissioners acting in their capacity as the County Board of Elections. 65
   (6)   City elective office. The offices of Mayor, District Attorney, City Controller, Sheriff, City Commissioner or City Council. 66
   (7)   Contribution. Money, gifts, forgiveness of debts, loans, or things having a monetary value incurred or received by (i) a campaign for use in advocating or influencing the election of the candidate or (ii) a former candidate to retire debt incurred to influence a covered election or to pay costs related to transition or inauguration to City elective office.
   (8)   Covered election. Every primary, general or special election for City elective office. 67
   (9)   Electioneering communication. Any publicly distributed broadcast, cable, radio, print, Internet, or satellite communication (a) that promotes, attacks, supports, or opposes a candidate, or (b) that, within 50 days of a covered election, names, refers to, includes, or depicts a candidate in that covered election. The term shall not include: (i) sponsorship or organization of a candidate debate or forum; (ii) any news story, commentary, or editorial by any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publication, including any Internet periodical publication, unless the station, newspaper, magazine, or publication is owned or controlled by a candidate, political committee, campaign, or political party. 68
   (10)   Excess pre-candidacy contributions. The amount of a person or committee's pre-candidacy contributions to a particular political committee that, had the contributions been made to a campaign for elective City office, would have been in excess of the contribution limitations set forth in subsection 20-1002(1) or 20-1002(2).
   (11)   Expenditure: 69
      (a)   The payment, distribution, loan or advancement of money or any valuable thing by a candidate, political committee, campaign or other person for the purpose of influencing the outcome of a covered election or to retire debt incurred to influence the outcome of a covered election or to cover expenses related to transition or inauguration to City elective office, including any expenditure for an electioneering communication;
      (b)   The provision of a service or other valuable thing for the purpose of influencing the outcome of a nomination or election of a candidate; or
      (c)   The payment or provision of money or other valuable thing to compensate any person for services rendered to a candidate or for an electioneering communication.
   (12)   Person. An individual, partnership, corporation, sole proprietorship, or other form of organization.
   (13)   Political Committee. Any committee, club, association, political party, or other group of persons, including the candidate political committee of a candidate for office in a covered election, which receives contributions or makes expenditures for the purpose of influencing the outcome of a covered election.
   (14)   Pre-candidacy contribution. A contribution made to a political committee that: (a) has been transferred to, or otherwise becomes available for expenditure by, a candidate for City elective office; and (b) was made before such candidate became a candidate.
   (15)   Sample ballot. A ballot distributed by a campaign or political committee that lists more than one candidate in a specific covered election and recommends that voters vote for the listed candidates. 70

 

Notes

63
   Amended, Bill No. 060629 (approved November 16, 2006). Subsections renumbered by Code editor because of inconsistent numbering provided in Bill No. 060629 and Bill No. 050014 (approved December 15, 2005). Amended, Bill No. 100122 (approved June 16, 2010); amended, Bill No. 190083-A (approved May 1, 2019); amended, Bill No. 220361 (approved June 22, 2022).
64
   Added, Bill No. 050014 (approved December 15, 2005). Section 2 of Bill No. 050014 provides: "This Ordinance shall take effect immediately. Until the certification of the approval by the electors of the amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter providing for the creation and appointment of a Board of Ethics, the duties this Ordinance assigns to the Board of Ethics shall be carried out by the Department of Records, and all filings required to be made with the Board of Ethics shall be made with the Department of Records." The amendment creating the Board of Ethics was approved by the voters at an election held on May 16, 2006 and was certified on June 5, 2006.
65
   Added, Bill No. 050014 (approved December 15, 2005). See note 64 for effective date provisions.
66
   Amended, Bill No. 100360 (approved October 12, 2010), effective July 1, 2010.
67
   Amended, Bill No. 050301-A (approved June 9, 2005). Section 2 of Bill No. 050301-A provides: "Effective date. This Ordinance shall be effective immediately, provided, however, that contributions to candidates for District Attorney or City Controller made before this Ordinance becomes law shall not be considered in determining compliance with the contribution limits established by this Ordinance."
68
   Added, Bill No. 150368 (approved June 18, 2015), effective July 1, 2015. Enrolled bill numbered this as subsection (9.1); renumbered by Code editor.
69
   Amended, Bill No. 150368 (approved June 18, 2015), effective July 1, 2015.
70
   Added, Bill No. 100126 (became law June 17, 2010). Enrolled bill numbered this as subsection (15); renumbered by Code editor.