(1) Unusual circumstances mean uncommon, rare or sudden events over which the actor has no control and which directly result in the failure to act according to the filing requirements. Unusual circumstances must occur within a time period that would clearly prevent the person legally responsible for filing the report from doing so in a timely manner. Unusual circumstances shall include, but are not limited to, the following circumstances:
    (a) Natural disaster or other emergency that prevented timely filing. Evidence submitted shall include copies of newspaper reports or other documents from an independent and reliable source that document the nature, date, and location of the natural disaster or emergency.
    (b) Death of the candidate or campaign treasurer or an immediate family member of the candidate or campaign treasurer. Evidence submitted shall include a copy of the death certificate, newspaper obituary, or funeral program or notice.
    (c) Serious illness, disability or non-elective surgery of the candidate or campaign treasurer. Evidence submitted shall include a physician’s certification on professional letterhead stationery that includes the dates of the illness, disability, or surgery; a statement regarding the period of time that the patient was incapacitated; and a statement that surgery, if any, was not elective. The period of incapacitation may also be shown by copies of hospital records reflecting the dates of hospitalization.
    (d) Serious illness, disability or non-elective surgery of the candidate’s or campaign treasurer’s immediate family member. Evidence submitted shall include evidence of the candidate or treasurer’s relationship to the family member, the location of the family member, and the reason the candidate or campaign treasurer’s presence was required. Evidence submitted shall also include a physician’s certification on professional letterhead stationery that includes the dates of the illness, disability or surgery; a statement regarding the period of time that the patient was incapacitated; a statement that surgery, if any, was not elective; and a statement that the patient required the care of a family member.
    (e) Computer or equipment failure caused by events that could not have been anticipated and that made timely filing of the report impossible.
    (f) The abrupt and unexpected loss of the campaign treasurer, over which the appealing party had no control. The loss of the campaign treasurer shall not constitute unusual circumstances if the appealing party failed to monitor the campaign treasurer’s performance before his or her departure or if the appealing party failed to assure prompt preparation of the report after the treasurer’s departure.
    (g) Failure of the filing officer to e-mail, telephone, or mail a letter to the candidate, chairman of a political committee, or treasurer of a committee of continuous existence that a report is late no later than seven days after the report was due shall constitute unusual circumstances if the appealing party establishes that lack of notice clearly interfered with the timely filing of the report. The fine imposed by the filing officer shall be reduced to the amount that would have been imposed had the report been filed 13 days late.
    (2) Unusual circumstances shall not include:
    (a) Failure of the United States Postal Service or other mail delivery service to postmark an envelope, legibly postmark an envelope, or timely deliver mail.
    (b) Failure of the sender to affix sufficient postage to a report that is being mailed.
Rulemaking Authority Florida Statutes § 106.26(1). Law Implemented 106.04(8), 106.07(8) FS. History-New 1-11-99, Amended 4-24-05, 6-2-13.