House Bill No. by Representative Dewitt amends R.S. 18:1505.2(I)(2)(b)(iii) to clarify the use of campaign funds for clothing expenses. The bill specifies that certain clothing expenditures, including belts and footwear required for holding office, as well as expenses for their cleaning and maintenance, are not presumed to be for personal use. This change introduces new exceptions to the existing law, which previously categorized clothing expenses as personal unless proven otherwise by the candidate or their committee.

The proposed law retains the current framework that allows campaign contributions to be used for lawful purposes related to public office. It also maintains existing exceptions for clothing expenses of minimal value used in campaigns and specialized apparel for specific events. The addition of clothing required for holding office as a non-personal expense aims to provide clearer guidelines for candidates regarding the appropriate use of campaign funds.

Statutes affected:
HB996 Original: 18:2(I)(2)