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Bill > HB1552

VA HB1552

VA HB1552
Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign funds, complaints, hearings, civil penalty.

summary

Introduced
01/05/2023
In Committee
01/05/2023
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
04/12/2023

Introduced Session

2023 Regular Session

Bill Summary

Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign funds; complaints, hearings, civil penalty, and advisory opinions. Prohibits any person from converting contributions to a candidate or his campaign committee for personal use. Current law only prohibits such conversion of contributions with regard to disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaign or political committee. The bill provides that a contribution is considered to have been converted to personal use if the contribution, in whole or in part, is used to fulfill any commitment, obligation, or expense that would exist irrespective of the person's seeking, holding, or maintaining public office but allows a contribution to be used for the ordinary and accepted expenses related to campaigning for or holding elective office, including the use of campaign funds to pay for the candidate's child care expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity. The bill provides that any person subject to the personal use ban may request an advisory opinion from the State Board of Elections on such matters. The bill directs the State Board of Elections to adopt emergency regulations similar to those promulgated by the Federal Election Commission to implement the provisions of the bill and to provide an updated summary of Virginia campaign finance law that reflects the State Board of Elections' and Attorney General's guidance on the provisions of such law that prohibit the personal use of campaign funds and any new regulations promulgated by the State Board of Elections.

AI Summary

This bill: Prohibits any person from converting contributions to a candidate or their campaign committee for personal use. The bill defines what constitutes a personal use of campaign funds, such as using them for home mortgages, non-campaign-related expenses, or personal trips. The bill allows contributions to be used for campaign-related expenses, ordinary and necessary expenses of holding office, charitable donations, transfers to political parties or candidates, and child care expenses related to campaigning. The bill establishes a process for filing complaints about the personal use of campaign funds with the State Board of Elections, which would investigate and hold hearings on such complaints. The Board can require repayment of any improperly used funds and impose civil penalties for willful violations. The bill also allows the Board to issue advisory opinions on the personal use of campaign funds. The bill directs the State Board of Elections to adopt regulations similar to federal rules on advisory opinions and the prohibition on personal use of campaign funds, and to publish updated guidance on the personal use provisions.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (23)

Last Action

Left in Privileges and Elections (on 02/07/2023)

Bill Topics

Civil Rights, Minority Issues, and Civil Liberties
  • ‐ Campaign Finance and Political Spending
Government Operations
  • ‐ Government Ethics and Conflicts of Interest

bill text

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bill summary

Document Type Source Location Created
State Bill Page https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB1552 01/06/2023
Fiscal Note/Analysis - House: Impact statement from DPB (HB1552) https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+oth+HB1552F122+PDF 01/23/2023
Fiscal Note/Analysis - House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offe https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+oth+HB1552F160+PDF 01/08/2023
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+ful+HB1552+hil 01/06/2023
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