LobbyComply Blog

Campaign Finance

Louisiana: “Louisiana Ethics Board Raises Questions About Judges’ Campaign Transparency” by Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) for Yahoo News

Elections

National: “Democrats Swept Elections Far Beyond the Big Races in Referendum on Trump” by Naftali Bendavid (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

California: “Ex-S.F. Human Rights Chief Sheryl Davis Hit with Slew of Ethics Charges” by Michael Barba (San Francisco Chronicle) for MSN

Washington DC: “Jury Finds D.C. ‘Sandwich Guy’ Not Guilty of Assaulting Officer” by Salvador Rizzo (Washington Post) for MSN

Illinois: “Judge Says Immigration Officers’ Use of Force in Chicago ‘Shocks the Conscience’” by Kim Bellware and David Nkamura (Washington Post) for MSN

Oregon: “Judge Rules Trump Administration Failed to Meet Legal Requirements for Deploying Troops to Portland” by Claire Rush and Gene Johnson (Associated Press) for MSN

Oregon: “Oregon Lawmakers Quietly Hire Their Family Members with Taxpayer Money – and Little Oversight” by Carlos Fuentes (Portland Oregonian) for MSN

Tennessee: “Trump Pardons Former Tennessee House Speaker, Top Aide Awaiting Prison” by Natalie Allison (Washington Post) for MSN

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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Campaign Finance

Illinois: “Illinois Senate President Don Harmon Appeals Potential $9.8 Million Fine for Improperly Accepting Campaign Cash” by Dan Petrella (Chicago Tribune) for Yahoo News

Elections

California: “‘Ghost’ Candidates, Pay-to-Play Accusations: Grossmont school board critics say messages suggest ‘wildly unethical’ campaign efforts” by Kristen Taketa (San Diego Union-Tribune) for MSN

Georgia: “Georgia Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Saying Election Officials Must Certify Results” by Kate Brumback (Associated Press) for MSN

National: “IRS Says Churches Can Endorse Candidates from the Pulpit” by David Fahrenthold (New York Times) for Salt Lake Tribune

Ethics

National: “Roughly 140 EPA Staffers Who Signed ‘Dissent’ Letter Are Put on Leave” by Hannah Natanson and Meryl Kornfield (Washington Post) for MSN

National: “Military Veteran Gets a Life Sentence for Plotting an FBI Attack After His Jan. 6 Arrest” by Michael Kunzelman (Associated Press) for Yahoo News

Kentucky: “For KY Lawmakers, Sexual Harassment Isn’t ‘Ethical Misconduct.’ That Could Change” by Alex Acquisto (Lexington Herald-Leader) for MSN

Missouri: “How Missouri’s Ethical Watchdog Was ‘Quietly Dismantled,’ According to New Report” by Kacen Bayless (Kansas City Star) for MSN

The 83^rd Nevada Legislature adjourned sine die on June 3. During the session, a couple of bills passed relating to the state’s campaign finance law. Assembly Bill 73 requires certain communications with synthetic media to contain a specified disclosure. Assembly Bill 79 revises various aspects of the campaign finance law and establishes a contribution limit of $5,000 for a special election other than a recall election. This contribution limit is applicable regardless of the number of candidates for the office, or whether the special election is held on the same day as a primary election or general election. Both bills have been sent to the governor, and if signed become effective January 1, 2026. This does affect lobbying reporting. The termination and final report is due July 3.

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Campaign contribution limits for individual and PAC donors in 2025 are raised from $6,400 to $6,800 per election.

The State Board of Elections has calculated the new limit based on changes to the consumer price index.

A notice of increase will appear in the North Carolina Register on January 15 and the new limit has already gone into effect as of January 1.

On December 19, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report on public financing programs in selected states and localities.

The report, required by the 2023 federal appropriations bill, attempts to describe several key characteristics of public campaign financing programs in selected states and localities, such as grant funding, matching funds plans, voucher programs, and qualification and participation requirements.

The GAO also interviewed officials from nine programs to obtain perspectives on candidate participation and reasons for and for not participating in the programs.

Additionally, the report looks at the various legal frameworks of the programs and how observations of campaign financing programs in other states and localities influenced aspects of the respondents’ own program structures.

According to the report, which is relying on a 2024 Brennan Center for Justice report, 14 states and 26 localities offer programs through which candidates running for state or local offices can use public funds to finance their campaigns.

Lobbying and campaign finance thresholds increase January 1, 2025, to reflect changes in the consumer price index.

The thresholds for lobbyist compensation and reimbursement increased from $1,870 to $1,930.

Lobbyist expenditures increased from $940 to $970 per calendar quarter, not including expenditures for an individual’s travel, food, lodging, or membership dues.

If a lobbyist does not intend to exceed $2,220 during a calendar year in expenditures, the lobbyist may file an annual report due on January 10.

Salary reporting thresholds have also increased.

Compensation or reimbursement required to be reported must be reported as an exact amount if the compensation or reimbursement received exceeds $1,112,200.

Regarding campaign finance, a general-purpose and specific-purpose committee may not accept political contributions or expenditures totaling more than $1,080 without filing a campaign treasurer appointment.

Other changes include the threshold at which a contribution from an out-of-state PAC requires certain paperwork increased from $1,080 to $1,110.

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.

The state Democratic Party filed suit against Gov. Kemp in federal court over a 2021 state law allowing candidates to accept unlimited contributions through leadership committees.

Last Thursday, a federal judge ruled in favor of Gov. Kemp.

U.S. District Judge Mark Cohen found the complaint to be speculative in nature and the Democratic Party lacked standing to sue the governor.

Democrats could not point to a specific contribution that had infringed the right of free speech and equal protection rights.

The court noted the attorney general and the Georgia Ethics Commission would be the appropriate parties to sue.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit vacated a 2022 order from the lower court barring Indiana media company Sarkes Tarzian Inc. from contributing $10,000 to the Indiana Right to Life Victory Fund and granted the preliminary injunction sought.

The court ruled the Indiana campaign finance rules are inconsistent with the First Amendment and remanded the case to the district court with instructions to enjoin enforcement of the state law prohibiting corporate contributions to PACs if earmarked for independent campaign‐related expenditures.

Cleveland City Council passed an ordinance doubling campaign contribution limits for City Council candidates.

Contribution limits to candidates for City Council increased from $1,500 to $3,000 for individuals and from $3,000 to $6,000 for PACs in a calendar year.

Emergency Ordinance No. 615-2024 will become effective immediately upon being signed by Mayor Justin Bibb, or in 10 days if not signed.

Bibb and all members of City Council are up for reelection in November 2025.

Q: My employer makes corporate contributions in California. We have not yet exceeded $10,000 in calendar year 2024. The primary election is in March, along with the general election in the fall. If we decide to make contributions, when do we have a late contribution report due?

A: The California “Late Contribution Report” [Form 497], sometimes referred to as the “24-hour report” is due during the 90-day period preceding any election if all of the following criteria are met:

• The contribution is $1,000 or more, or multiple contributions aggregating $1,000 or more, to a single candidate, ballot measure committee, or political party. This includes non-monetary and in-kind contributions;
• The corporation making the contribution must have already qualified as a major donor or the contribution made during the 90-day period before the election puts it over the $10,000 threshold and it becomes a major donor; and
• The recipient candidate or ballot committee must appear on the ballot at the election for which the 90-day period applies.

Contributions to political parties made during the 90-day period are also included. Contributions to PACs are not.
We are currently in the 90-day period for the March 5 primary election. The 90-day period for the November 5 general election begins August 7. Currently, no special elections are scheduled, but if one is, this triggers a new 90-day period. Check with the Fair Political Practices Commission for the exact dates of the 90-day period.

The filing requirements for Form 497 are:

• The report is due within 24 hours of making the contribution. The contribution is made on the date it is mailed, hand-delivered, or otherwise transmitted to the candidate, ballot measure committee, or political party.
• The report must be filed electronically with the California Secretary of State, Political Reform Division. No paper report is required.
• If a report is due on a Saturday, Sunday, or official state holiday, the 24-hour deadline is extended to the next business day. However, the Form 497 must be filed within 24 hours on a Saturday, Sunday, or an official state holiday when the report is due the weekend immediately prior to an election. For example, if a donor makes a contribution on the Saturday before the election, the Form 497 is due on Sunday.

As a reminder, the late contribution must still be reported on the next major donor report that is due. In 2024, major donor reports are due July 31 for the period covering January 1 to June 30; and January 31, 2025, for the period covering July 1 to December 31.

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

Campaign contribution limits increased in British Columbia, Canada, for 2024 to $1,450.82 for contributions to registered political parties, including their candidates, nomination contestants and registered constituency associations.

Additionally, individuals can also contribute up to $1,450.82 to independent candidates and leadership contestants, if a leadership contest is called in 2024.

The previous limit from 2023 was $1,401.40.

Also increased to $410 is the limit of a fee paid to attend a leadership convention or other convention of a political party without counting toward the $1,450.82 contribution limit.

These contribution amounts are adjusted at the start of each calendar year.

The U.S. District Court granted a motion for a preliminary injunction in Minnesota Chamber of Commerce v. Choi (0:23-cv-02015), preventing the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board from enforcing a bill restricting political activities by foreign-influenced corporations.

House File 3 was to be effective January 1, 2024, and would require a corporation making a contribution to a ballot question or an independent expenditure to submit a certification to the board that it was not a foreign-influenced corporation as of the date the contribution or expenditure was made.

The bill defines a foreign-influenced corporation as one for which a single foreign investor owns 1% or more; two or more foreign investors own 5% or more; or a foreign investor participates directly or indirectly in the corporation’s decision-making process with respect to the corporation’s political activities in the United States.