Bill > SB273

This bill amends the Pennsylvania Election Code to regulate recurring political contributions by establishing strict consent and disclosure requirements. The bill prohibits candidates and political committees from soliciting or accepting preselected or prescheduled recurring contributions without the express and affirmative consent of the contributor. "Express and affirmative consent" means the contributor must take clear, active steps to agree to recurring contributions, and passive actions like failing to uncheck a pre-checked box do not count as consent. The bill requires that for each recurring contribution, candidates or political committees must: provide a receipt disclosing contribution terms within three days, include cancellation information in all related communications, and immediately cancel the contribution upon the contributor's request. Violations can result in penalties of up to $5,000 per occurrence, and if the recurring contributions exceed $1,000 and the committee knowingly solicited without proper consent, they may be fined up to three times the total amount of subsequent contributions. Any contribution accepted without proper consent must be returned to the contributor within 14 days. The bill defines a "recurring contribution" as an automatic charge to a person's payment account without subsequent approval, and these regulations will apply to contributions solicited on or after the bill's effective date, which is 60 days after enactment.

Government Affairs

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=273