Substitute House Bill No. 5452 (sHB5452 File No. 489) proposes a series of campaign finance reforms, with an effective date ranging from July 1, 2024, to January 1, 2025. The bill mandates that no financial obligations can be incurred by a political committee without the written authorization of the treasurer, and it establishes conditions for reimbursement of expenditures paid from personal funds. It also introduces a new illegal practice, making it unlawful for any person to incur financial obligations on behalf of a committee without the treasurer's written consent, while protecting treasurers from liability for unauthorized obligations. The bill renumbers existing clauses and adds new exceptions for certain text or media messages from political advertising attribution requirements. It sets contribution limits for legislative caucus committees and legislative leadership committees, and allows for written-authorized fund transfers between these committees of the same political party within the same legislative chamber.

The bill also updates the Citizen's Election Program (CEP) by changing the timeline and basis for inflationary adjustments to the amounts related to the program, with the State Elections Enforcement Commission required to publish adjusted amounts by January 1 of the election year, based on inflationary changes from December 1 through November 30 of the preceding year, starting with the 2026 election cycle. The bill adjusts the aggregate and maximum individual contribution amounts for various state offices, with adjustments based on changes in the consumer price index. It moves up the deadline for inflation adjustments from January 15 to January 1, starting in 2026, and biennially thereafter. The bill's fiscal impact includes potential minimal costs and revenue gains. The Government Administration and Elections Committee has given a Joint Favorable Substitute to the bill with a vote of Yea 14 Nay 5 on March 26, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 9-607, 9-622
GAE Joint Favorable Substitute: 9-607, 9-622
File No. 489: 9-607, 9-622