Bill > S400

This bill establishes the Massachusetts Fair Elections program, which provides voluntary public campaign financing for qualified legislative candidates. The key provisions include: - Creating the Massachusetts Fair Elections Fund to provide public matching funds to certified candidates who agree to contribution and expenditure limits. - Establishing requirements for candidates to become "certified candidates" eligible for public financing, including collecting a minimum number of qualifying contributions of at least $5 each from registered voters in their district. - Setting limits on the contributions and expenditures of participating candidates, such as a $100 limit on individual contributions and $60,000/$20,000 limits on primary election expenditures for state senate/state representative candidates. - Providing public financing amounts of up to $48,000/$16,000 for primary elections and $96,000/$32,000 for general elections for state senate/state representative candidates. - Allowing the public financing amounts to be adjusted for inflation. - Establishing a Special Commission on Fair Elections to study and make recommendations on the program. - The bill is effective for election cycles beginning on or after November 1, 2020.

Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S400