Substitute Senate Bill No. 1406 aims to enhance the regulation of online platforms that facilitate contributions to political committees and expand the jurisdiction of the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) over voting in specific districts. The bill introduces new definitions for "contribution" and "committee," and mandates that online platforms must obtain explicit consent from contributors before enrolling them in automatically recurring contributions, ensuring that passive actions do not imply consent. Additionally, the bill repeals and replaces subsection (b) of section 9-601a, clarifying what does not qualify as a "contribution," and includes a new definition for "volunteer" while adjusting monetary limits for various contributions and donations related to political events.

Moreover, the bill expands the SEEC's authority to investigate election law violations, allowing complaints from eligible voters in special taxing districts and enhancing the commission's investigatory powers through provisions for hearings and subpoenas. It also introduces civil penalties for election law violations, modifies the auditing process for candidate committees, and updates terminology related to voting methods. The bill emphasizes compliance with election laws and provides mechanisms for the SEEC to refer evidence of violations to the Chief State's Attorney. Overall, these changes aim to modernize campaign finance regulations, improve transparency, and ensure the integrity of the electoral process in Connecticut.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 9-7b, 7-327
GOS Joint Favorable: 9-7b, 7-327
File No. 490: 9-7b, 7-327