Senate Bill 899 aims to strengthen regulations surrounding contributions to referendum committees by explicitly prohibiting foreign nationals from making any contributions, directly or indirectly. The bill defines a foreign national and outlines the necessary affirmations that must be obtained from contributors, ensuring they are not foreign nationals and have not accepted significant funds from foreign sources in the past four years. Additionally, it mandates that referendum committees and independent expenditure committees attest to these affirmations in their reports to the Ethics Commission.

The bill also introduces new definitions and requirements related to "preliminary activity," which encompasses actions taken before filing a registration statement, such as preparing referendum language and conducting polls. It renumbers existing legal provisions and adds new sections to the statutes to clarify these regulations. Overall, the legislation seeks to prevent foreign influence in local referendums and ensure transparency in campaign financing.