The proposed bill amends South Dakota's campaign finance laws by introducing new definitions and regulations specifically targeting contributions to political committees, particularly those related to inactive candidate campaign committees. It defines an "inactive candidate campaign committee" as one that is not actively pursuing election, has failed to secure a nomination, or has lost an election without filing a termination report. The bill allows statewide candidates or their campaign committees to accept contributions from these inactive committees, with a limit of four thousand dollars, while also maintaining existing contribution limits from individuals and entities. Additionally, the bill revises definitions for terms such as "candidate," "contribution," and "political committee," and removes outdated language to enhance clarity.

Moreover, the bill establishes new contribution limits for inactive candidate campaign committees, permitting up to $1,000 for legislative or county candidates and $10,000 for political action committees and political parties. It also clarifies the requirements for campaign finance disclosure statements, detailing the responsibilities of treasurers for various political committees and allowing them to submit termination reports at any time. The penalties for violations of these provisions remain unchanged, with a Class 2 misdemeanor for initial offenses and a Class 1 misdemeanor for subsequent offenses within the same calendar year. Overall, the amendments aim to improve transparency and accountability in campaign financing.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 12/27/2024: 12-27-1, 12-27-7, 12-27-8, 12-27-9, 12-27-10, 12-27-22
Senate State Affairs Engrossed, 01/22/2025: 12-27-1, 12-27-7, 12-27-8, 12-27-9, 12-27-10, 12-27-22