The bill amends various sections of the Louisiana Revised Statutes concerning election campaign finance, specifically the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act. It introduces new provisions for leadership committees, detailing their authorizations and restrictions, and outlines the duties and requirements for different types of committees, including political committees and independent expenditure-only committees. Key changes include an increase in the threshold for in-kind contributions from twenty-five to fifty dollars, the expansion of the definition of "person" to include various legal entities, and the refinement of the term "political committee." The bill also raises the reporting thresholds for contributions and expenditures, requiring reports for amounts exceeding $1,000 and $5,000 for candidates, while establishing new reporting requirements for joint fundraising efforts and expenditures related to propositions and recall elections.

Additionally, the bill emphasizes the importance of transparency in campaign financing and includes provisions that exempt certain communications by churches from disclosure requirements unless they advocate for or against specific candidates. It modifies the cash contribution limit from one hundred to two hundred dollars and increases the aggregate limit for contributions and expenditures between committees from five hundred to one thousand dollars. The legislation also clarifies the roles and responsibilities of campaign treasurers, mandates the filing of reports for expenditures exceeding specified amounts, and enhances the authority of the supervisory committee overseeing campaign finance. Overall, the bill aims to improve accountability and transparency in campaign financing while ensuring compliance with updated regulations.

Statutes affected:
HB693 Original: 9:154(A)(18), 18:1486(C)(1), 18:2(N), 18:3(B)
HB693 Engrossed: 18:1483(15), 18:6(C), 18:1(C), 18:2(H)(1), 18:1(A), 9:154(A)(18), 18:1486(C)(1), 18:2(N), 18:3(B)
HB693 Reengrossed: 18:1483(15), 18:6(C), 18:4(C), 18:1(C), 18:2(H)(1), 18:1(A), 9:154(A)(18), 18:1486(C)(1), 18:2(N), 18:3(B)
HB693 Enrolled: 18:1483(15), 18:6(C), 18:4(C), 18:1(C), 18:2(H)(1), 18:1(A), 9:154(A)(18), 18:1486(C)(1), 18:2(N), 18:3(B)
HB693 Act : 18:1483(15), 18:6(C), 18:4(C), 18:1(C), 18:2(H)(1), 18:1(A), 9:154(A)(18), 18:1486(C)(1), 18:2(N), 18:3(B)