Bill > SB65

This bill applies certain campaign finance rules, typically for political committees, to exploratory committees, which are entities established by a potential candidate to assess their viability for public office. It clarifies that "donations" to these committees are gifts or transfers of money or value intended for the committee's disbursements, with exceptions for funds received in the ordinary course of business or explicitly designated for other purposes. The bill outlines that exploratory committees can receive funds and make disbursements solely for purposes related to determining a potential candidate's viability, including conducting surveys, direct mailings, employing staff, establishing a website, paid digital communications, renting office space, purchasing electronic equipment, and security. It prohibits advance payments for goods or services to be used by a future official campaign committee and requires that if an authorized candidate campaign committee is formed from the exploratory committee, any equipment purchased from the exploratory committee must be at fair market value. Finally, the bill mandates that any remaining funds held by an exploratory committee must be returned within 120 days after the potential candidate files for office, publicly declines to run, or the filing deadline passes, with options for returning funds to contributors, political parties, the future campaign committee, qualifying non-profit organizations, or the Fair Campaign Financing Fund.

Education, Government Affairs

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0065?ys=2026RS