Bill No.:                     HB0187                                 Drafter:  LGC

 

LSO No.:                   13LSO-0288                         Effective Date:  1/1/2015

 

Enrolled Act No.:    HEA0106

 

Chapter No.:            CH0189

 

Prime Sponsor:       Representative Stubson

 

Catch Title:              Campaign finance.

 

Subject:                     Amending limitations on campaign contributions.

 

Summary/Major Elements:

 

·        This act increases limitations on individual campaign contributions from $1,000 to $2,500 for candidates for statewide office and to $1,500 for candidates for non-statewide office.

 

·        The act increases total individual political contributions from $25,000 per two-year period to $50,000 per two-year period.

 

·        The act limits campaign contributions from political action committees to $7,500 to candidates for statewide office and to $3,000 for candidates for non-statewide office.  Contributions to a candidate’s campaign committee are considered contributions to the candidate.  Contributions from political action committees are not currently limited.

 

·        The act amends civil penalties for violations of the contribution limits from $10,000 per occurrence to $5,000 for the first violation and $10,000 for subsequent violations.

 

·        The act changes the criminal penalty for filing a false report by a political action committee or candidate’s campaign committee from a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than two years, to a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year.

 

Comments:

 

·        Contains delayed effective date:  The act is effective January 1, 2015.