The proposed bill, if enacted, would amend current statutes by adding a new section to Title 16, Chapter 6 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, specifically addressing campaign contributions related to ballot propositions that propose amendments to the Arizona Constitution. It would prohibit committees organized for this purpose from accepting or using contributions from foreign nationals, while allowing exceptions for contributions from federally registered political committees, independent expenditures, and in-kind volunteer services. Additionally, the bill mandates that committees verify contributors' eligibility as non-foreign nationals and return any prohibited contributions within ten business days of discovery.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new reporting requirements for committees, including disclosing the percentage of contributions from residents versus nonresidents, and mandates a disclaimer in campaign materials if more than 20% of funding comes from nonresidents. Violations of these provisions would be classified as a class 1 misdemeanor, with enforcement authority granted to the Attorney General or county attorneys, who could impose civil penalties. The bill also defines key terms such as "ballot proposition," "committee," "foreign national," "nonresident," and "resident," and includes a severability clause to ensure that if any part of the act is found invalid, the remaining provisions remain effective. The legislation would be cited as the "Arizona First Funding Act."

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 16-914.01