Substitute Senate Bill No. 392 (sSB392 File No. 430) proposes amendments to current election laws, particularly focusing on the management of non-qualifying contributions to candidate committees. The bill eliminates the requirement for treasurers to transmit non-qualifying contributions to the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) for deposit into the Citizens' Election Fund (CEF). Instead, treasurers are now required to return such contributions to the contributors. The bill also allows for contributions to be made through mobile application electronic payment services, provided they come from a personal checking account or credit card, and maintains that individual contributions over one hundred dollars must be made by personal check or credit card. The SEEC is tasked with advising applicants of non-qualifying contributions and returning them to the committee. The bill includes changes to sections 9-704(e), 9-706(d), 9-606(b), 9-611(d), and 9-7a(g)(1) and is effective upon passage, with a minimal fiscal impact due to the altered requirements for returning non-qualifying contributions.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new requirements for the SEEC in handling election-related complaints. Contributors must certify that they are not prohibited from contributing before their contributions are deposited. The SEEC is required to issue a decision on or dismiss complaints related to an election received within 90 days before the election, before the day of the election. The bill outlines a process for the SEEC to follow when investigating complaints, including a preliminary examination within 14 days and a probable cause determination within 60 days, or else the complainant or respondent may apply to the Hartford Superior Court for an order to show cause. The bill received a joint favorable vote from the Government Administration and Elections Committee with 19 yeas and 0 nays on March 26, 2024.