The proposed bill would significantly update current statutes regarding the use of public resources to influence elections. Under current law, only the Attorney General, county attorney, or a resident of the county can initiate a suit for violations. The bill expands this to allow any resident of the respective jurisdiction to initiate a suit in the superior court of the county where the city, town, county, or school district is located, and mandates that penalties collected by the court for suits initiated by residents must be paid directly to the resident. Additionally, it modifies the definitions of influence an election and influencing the outcomes of elections to include any presentation of information related to an election that is not impartial or neutral. Moreover, the bill clarifies prohibitions on the use of public resources for election influence, allowing for neutral informational pamphlets while prohibiting promotional expenditures after an election is called. It also permits the use of public resources for impartial government-sponsored forums or debates, provided they do not coincide with private events aimed at influencing elections. The enforcement mechanisms are strengthened by expanding the list of individuals who can initiate legal action and increasing the civil penalty for violations to a minimum of $5,000, plus any misused funds. The bill also specifies the allocation of collected penalties and updates definitions to ensure consistency across public entities.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 9-500.14, 11-410, 15-511, 16-192, 35-454, 15-481, 15-491, 15-342
Senate Engrossed Version: 9-500.14, 11-410, 15-511, 16-192, 35-454, 15-481, 15-491, 15-342
House Engrossed Version: 9-500.14, 11-410, 15-511, 16-192, 35-454, 15-481, 15-491, 15-342