Bill > SB116

This bill updates Alaska's campaign finance laws by increasing and standardizing contribution limits while establishing a mechanism for periodic adjustments. Specifically, the bill raises individual contribution limits from $500 to $2,000 per election cycle for candidates and from $1,000 to $4,000 for contributions to other entities. Similarly, group contributions to candidates are increased from $1,000 to $4,000 per election cycle. The bill introduces the term "election cycle," which is defined as the period from when a candidate becomes eligible to receive contributions to the date their final campaign report is filed. An important provision allows for automatic contribution limit adjustments beginning in 2031, where the Alaska Public Offices Commission will update limits every 10 years based on the Consumer Price Index for urban Alaska, rounding to the nearest $50. The bill also includes an exception for contributions to groups making only independent expenditures and clarifies that the new limits do not apply to elections that occurred before the act's effective date. Underlying these changes is a legislative finding that political influence should not be solely determined by wealth, and that reasonable contribution limits help preserve election integrity and ensure equal rights for Alaskans.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

State Affairs (S)

https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=SB116