The bill sSB226 File No. 605 proposes amendments to the Citizens' Election Program (CEP), specifically targeting the financing of gubernatorial campaigns. It introduces a new "convention campaign grant" for major party candidates for Governor, setting the grant amount to $806,875, which is subject to inflation adjustments starting in 2026. The bill increases the primary campaign grant to $2,420,625 for candidates who received a convention campaign grant and to $3,227,500 for those who did not, with both amounts also subject to inflation adjustments. The general election campaign grant for gubernatorial candidates is raised to $15,492,000, with a tiered percentage system based on the timing of the application. The bill also revises the adjustment mechanism for grant amounts to be based on changes in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) and outlines the application process and conditions for receiving grants for various state offices.

Furthermore, the bill specifies that candidates changing party affiliation after filing the required affidavit are ineligible for grants under the CEP for their primary or general election campaigns. It also disqualifies candidates with certain criminal convictions from receiving grants unless a specified time has elapsed since the conviction or sentence completion. The bill mandates that the State Comptroller issue payment orders for approved grant amounts and sets deadlines for submitting applications for primary and general election grants. The State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) is tasked with reviewing applications and disbursing funds within set timeframes. The bill also includes provisions for record-keeping, spending adjustments, and technical changes, such as the repeal of obsolete language, and is effective upon passage. The fiscal impact of the bill is expected to continue into the future, with the Citizens Election Fund having a balance of $31,750,622 at the end of 2022.

Statutes affected:
GAE Joint Favorable Substitute: 9-702, 9-700
File No. 605: 9-702, 9-700