(1)(a) For purposes of the contribution limits established in ORS 260.014 and 260.016, contributions made or donations received by multiple membership organizations are considered to be made or received by a single membership organization, if the membership organizations are established, financed, maintained or controlled by the same person or substantially the same group of persons, including any parent, subsidiary, branch, division, department or local unit of the person or group of persons.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, the same person acting as a director or officer of two or more membership organizations is not by itself sufficient to consider contributions made or donations received by the membership organizations to be contributions made or received by a single membership organization.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, membership organizations may not be considered established, financed, maintained or controlled by the same person or within the same group of persons if the membership organizations have the authority to make independent decisions as to which candidates, if any, to support or oppose.
(2) A membership organization may make political contributions directly or through a membership organization political committee, but may not make aggregate contributions that exceed the contribution limits of ORS 260.014 and 260.016.