This bill proposes significant updates to the Arizona Revised Statutes regarding campaign contributions and expenses, specifically targeting the interactions between public service corporations and candidates for the corporation commission. Under the new provisions, A. A public service corporation, an affiliate of a public service corporation or a principal of a public service corporation or its affiliate may not contribute directly or indirectly to a corporation commission candidate or candidate committee. Additionally, B. A corporation commission candidate may not accept or solicit contributions directly or indirectly from a public service corporation, an affiliate of a public service corporation or a principal of a public service corporation or its affiliate. These changes aim to prevent potential conflicts of interest and ensure transparency in campaign financing. Furthermore, the bill introduces detailed definitions and conditions surrounding what constitutes coordinated expenditures by public service corporations, which are not considered independent expenditures. For instance, A. Notwithstanding section 16-922, an expenditure by a public service corporation, an affiliate of a public service corporation or a principal of a public service corporation or its affiliate is not an independent expenditure if the expenditure is a coordinated public service corporation expenditure. The bill outlines specific criteria for determining coordinated expenditures, including the nature of agreements between candidates and corporations, and establishes requirements for maintaining a firewall to prevent the flow of strategic nonpublic information. Overall, these updates aim to enhance the integrity of campaign financing in Arizona.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 16-916.01, 16-923