Substitute Senate Bill No. 1406 introduces significant amendments to Connecticut's campaign finance and election laws, particularly focusing on the operations of online platforms that facilitate contributions to political committees. The bill mandates that these platforms must obtain explicit consent from contributors before enrolling them in automatically recurring contributions, ensuring that passive actions do not constitute consent. Additionally, it allows these platforms to recommend other committees for contributions, contingent upon compliance with state laws and approval from the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC). The bill also clarifies the definitions of "contribution" and "expenditure," exempting voluntary payments made to online platforms for operational purposes from being classified as contributions.

Moreover, the bill expands the SEEC's authority to investigate election law violations, allowing complaints from voters in special taxing districts and enabling the commission to hold hearings, issue subpoenas, and impose civil penalties for violations. It also requires the SEEC to hire additional personnel to enhance its investigatory capabilities. Notable changes include the repeal and replacement of certain statutory provisions, such as the definition of "volunteer" and the procedures for district meetings, which now require a quorum of fifteen voters. Overall, these amendments aim to modernize election processes, enhance transparency, and strengthen the enforcement of campaign finance regulations in Connecticut.

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