Summary of Original Version

Amend KRS 121.015, relating to campaign finance, to define terms; create new sections of KRS Chapter 121 to establish reporting and record retention requirements for political issues committees and persons making independent expenditures; prohibit political issues committees from knowingly and willfully soliciting or accepting contributions from prohibited sources; establish certification requirements for treasurers of political issues committees and donors making contributions and independent expenditures; define activity that creates a presumption of a violation; prohibit foreign nationals from making a donation, contribution, or expenditure, soliciting another person to make a donation, contribution, or expenditure, or participating in another person's decision to influence a ballot measure; establish a cause of action for accepting or soliciting contributions from prohibited sources and failing to certify, report, or retain records; establish a right of privacy in donations to tax-exempt organizations; establish a penalty for a state or local governmental entity, court, or officer of the court that violates the right of privacy; amend KRS 121.190 to require a "paid for by" disclosure for advertisements advocating or opposing a ballot measure.

Summary of Amendment: Senate Committee Substitute 1

Summary Retain original provisions, except make technical corrections; amend KRS 121.015 to include in the definition of "independent expenditure" the expenditure of money or other things of value for a communication that advocates or opposes a ballot measure; delete new language creating definitions for "directly," "indirectly," "person," and "prohibited source"; amend KRS 121.175 to include fundraisers in the definition of "allowable campaign expenditures"; allow members of the General Assembly to use campaign funds to contribute directly to another candidate, slate of candidates, political party, or caucus campaign committee until his or her campaign funds have been exhausted and the account has been closed, provided contribution limits aren't exceeded; amend KRS 121.180 to specify that a candidate or slate of candidates may contribute campaign funds directly to another candidate or slates of candidates for state or federal office; amend KRS 121.190 to require that any type of general public political advertising which advocates or opposes a candidate, slate of candidates, group of candidates, or ballot measure be identified by the words "paid for by."

Summary of Amendment: Senate Floor Amendment 1 -- S. Rawlings

Summary Retain original provisions, except require that a person or entity making an independent expenditure to a political issues committee is requried to affirm that the person or entity has not knowingly or willfully accepted funds for the purpose of influencing any Kentucky election.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 121.015, 121.190
Senate Committee Substitute 1: 121.015, 121.175, 121.180, 121.190
Current: 121.015, 121.190