LobbyComply Blog

The Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics proposed rule amendments to align with statutory changes regarding contributions by lobbyists and to make uniform citations. The proposal clarifies rules relating to the ban on lobbyist contributions during legislative sessions and adds a definition for covered officials. The commission will accept written comments on the proposal until October 6 and will hold a public hearing for comments during the commission’s meeting on September 24.

A proposed ordinance would limit contributions by individuals to City Council candidates and committees to $2,600 during any election cycle. Currently, contributions are unlimited. The proposed ordinance, introduced at the August 25 City Council meeting, also requires all political committees to file a statement of organization with the clerk of the city no later than 10 days. Political committee is defined in the ordinance to include a group of persons making over $200 in contributions to candidates. If passed the ordinance will be effective immediately.

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The Ethics Commission announced the new campaign finance website will be launched this month. The current website will be taken down on August 15 and no further data will be able to be input into the old system. The conversion is expected to be completed by Monday, August 19. Brief video tutorials on how to use the new system will be on the website at launch. The Ethics Commission is offering in person and online trainings ahead of the next campaign finance reporting date of January 15, 2026.

Invite them out for coffee or a steak? Make sure you know the gift restrictions of your state or municipality. Request a demo of our online guidebooks today.

The 83^rd session of the Legislature adjourned sine die on June 27. Lawmakers did not pass a last-minute attempt to delay Oregon’s campaign contribution limits, established last year by House Bill 4024. The limits are set to take effect in 2027, however some legislators wanted to postpone the limits until 2031.

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The New Hampshire General Court stands adjourned as of June 26 until the next call of the chair. A bill to prohibit corporate campaign contributions was voted down in committee. Lawmakers passed a budget for the next two years, which was signed by Gov. Ayotte on June 27.

Invite them out for coffee or a steak? Make sure you know the gift restrictions of your state or municipality. Request a demo of our online guidebooks today.

OHIO: The Office of Secretary of State published increased contribution limits. The contribution limits for what PACs, PCEs and individuals may contribute to statewide candidates, candidates for General Assembly, county parties, PACs, and PCEs increased from $15,499.69 to $16,615.67 per election; from $46,499.08 to $49,847.01 per calendar year to state parties; and from $23,249.54 to $24,923.51 per calendar year to legislative campaign funds. The amount of gifts corporations and labor unions may provide per year to a state political party, county political party, or legislative campaign fund for specified purposes increased from $12,751.16 to $13,669.24.

Campaign contribution limits increased in British Columbia for 2025 to $1,484.38 for contributions to registered political parties, including their candidates, nomination contestants and registered constituency associations. Additionally, individuals can also contribute up to $1,484.38 to independent candidates and leadership contestants, if a leadership contest is called in 2025. The previous limits from 2024 were $1,450.82 and $1,401.40 in 2023. Also increased to $420 is the limit of a fee paid to attend a leadership convention or other convention of a political party without counting toward the $1,484.38 contribution limit. These contribution amounts are adjusted at the start of each calendar year.

Campaign contribution limits increased in the city of Surrey, British Columbia for 2025 to $1,402.40 for local elections candidate or elector organization per campaign. For a local by-election held in 2025, unendorsed candidates may contribute an additional $1,402.40 to their own campaign, and a group of endorsed candidates may contribute an additional $1,402.40 in total to the campaign of the elector organization. The campaign contribution limit is adjusted at the start of each calendar year.

Elections Canada has published the federal contribution limits for the 2025 calendar year. In 2025, individuals may contribute up to $1,750 to independent candidates, leadership candidates, registered parties, and to, in total, all of the registered associations, nomination contestants and candidates of each registered party. The limits also apply to any unpaid balance of loans made during a contribution period and the amount of any loan guarantees made during a contribution period. The limits increase annually by $25 on January 1.

Campaign contribution limits have increased in Ontario for 2025. In a calendar year, a person individually may contribute $3,400 to each party, to each constituency association and nominations contestants of a party, and to each leadership contestant of a party. Additionally, in a campaign period, a person may contribute $3,400 to each candidate of a party, and to each independent non-party candidate. The total contribution made with respect to a single fundraising event by a contributor may not exceed $3,400 multiplied by the indexation factor. The previous contribution limits from 2024 were $3,375.

Q: My employer is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a parent corporation. Does a parent corporation, a subsidiary, or other affiliated entity have its own contribution limit or must the contributions be aggregated and have a shared limit?

A: The answer varies and is jurisdiction-dependent.  If a limit is shared, the parent, subsidiary, or other affiliated entity must have an open line of communication when it comes to making political contributions.

In California, a parent and subsidiary share a contribution limit if the decision to make a contribution is directed and controlled by a majority of the same persons.  If the parent and subsidiary act wholly independent of each other in deciding to make a contribution, the parent and subsidiary each have their own limit.

In New Jersey, if a corporation has subsidiaries, affiliates, branches, or locals then the contributions of these organizations cannot exceed the applicable contribution limit in the aggregate.  Two or more corporations will be conclusively deemed to be affiliated if:

• Any individual, corporation, partnership, company, association, or other entity owns, directly or indirectly, more than a 30 percent interest in each of such corporations; or
• One such corporation owns, directly or indirectly, more than a 30 percent interest in the other such corporation.

In New York, an organization financially supported by a corporation may not make expenditures for political purposes (including contributions to candidates, political parties, and political committees) in excess of $5,000 in the aggregate in any calendar year.

An organization financially supported by a corporation is an entity, among other things, run by the corporation, features no discernible differences between the organization and the corporation, and is simply doing the corporation’s business under a different name.  If a political committee is created by a corporation, but is run separately and distinctly, then it is not an organization financially supported by a corporation and is not subject to the $5,000 yearly contribution limit.

Each affiliated or subsidiary corporation, if a separate legal entity, has its own limit.

These are just a few broad examples of aggregation of limits.  As always, we advise you follow best practice to verify the rules in your jurisdiction before making political contributions.

For more information, be sure to check out the “Contribution” section of the U.S. Political Contributions Compliance Laws online publication. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

The Office of Secretary of State recently updated their list of 2024 election law changes. Changes include mandating all political committees other than candidate committees to file reports electronically as of November 27. Effective January 1, 2025, corporations and individuals are permitted to contribute $15,000 to candidates and $30,000 to PACs or political parties per election cycle. An election cycle begins on the 22nd day after a state general election and goes through 21 days after the next state general election. Previously, contribution limits were per election phase.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to allow the ban on foreign contributions to ballot measure committees to be enforced until October 8. This will give the panel sufficient opportunity to consider whether to overturn the preliminary injunction granted by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. State lawmakers passed the foreign contribution ban during a special session, adding green-card holders to the list of prohibited contributors. In a statement, Secretary of State Frank LaRose said his office is ready to begin immediate enforcement of the ban.

Chicago City Council has voted unanimously to ban registered lobbyists from financially contributing to mayoral candidates, incumbent or otherwise.

Additionally, businesses owned by lobbyists are also banned from contributing.

Violations could result in a 90-day ban from lobbying city officials.

Ordinance 2024-009664 was previously deferred but was revived when Mayor Brandon Johnson dropped his opposition to the plan.