The bill amends various sections of the Louisiana Revised Statutes concerning election campaign finance, particularly 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 raising the threshold for in-kind contributions from $25 to $50, increasing reporting thresholds for candidates and political committees, and establishing new definitions for terms such as "leadership committee" and "joint fundraising agreement." The bill also emphasizes the protection of political speech and transparency in campaign financing while modifying the requirements for financial reporting and record-keeping.

Additionally, the bill enhances the regulatory framework by increasing contribution limits, clarifying permissible uses of campaign funds, and establishing new rules for joint fundraising efforts. It specifies that candidates and political committees can make payments to businesses owned by immediate family members under certain conditions and prohibits foreign nationals from making contributions. The bill also strengthens penalties for violations of campaign finance laws and grants the supervisory committee the authority to issue subpoenas. Overall, these amendments aim to improve transparency, accountability, and compliance within Louisiana's campaign finance practices while ensuring that funds are used appropriately in the political process.

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)