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.

For 2025, the minimum wage required to be paid by US Federal Contractors under Executive Order 14026 increases to $17.75 an hour. Beginning January 30, 2022, all federal agencies were required to incorporate a $15 minimum wage in new contract solicitations pursuant to an executive order signed by President Joseph R. Biden on April 27, 2021. Since January 1, 2024, tipped workers must also receive 100% of the wage received by non-tipped workers, eliminating the difference between the type of workers. Contractors covered by Executive Order 14026 must ensure that workers receive no less than the minimum wage rates in effect during each calendar year in which a covered contract is performed. Based on an order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas on September 26, 2023, the minimum wage requirements of the final rule implementing Executive Order 14026 are not currently being enforced as to contracts or subcontracts to which the states of Texas, Louisiana, or Mississippi (including their agencies) are a party.

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.

Campaign contribution limits have increased in Prince Edward Island for 2025.

Beginning January 1, 2025, the individual contribution limit is $3,300 per party.

A contribution to a registered candidate affiliated with a registered party is a contribution to the party.

An individual may choose to donate the maximum to each registered party and any independent candidates.

The previous contribution limit from 2024 was $3,250.

On January 3, 2025, the U.S. Federal Register is scheduled to publish the Federal Election Commission’s announcement of its civil monetary penalty amounts, adjusted for inflation, for 2025.

The potential fines for civil violations of federal campaign finance laws will increase to range from $ 7,445 to $87,056, from the previous range of $ 7,256 to $ 84,852.

The amounts are calculated through a statutory formula applying the most recent “cost-of-living adjustment multiplier,” issued by the Office of Management and Budget, to the current amounts.

The amended civil monetary penalties are expected to take effect as of January 3, 2025, the publication date in the Federal Register.

On January 2, the U.S. Federal Register published proposals from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to amend regulations related to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). FARA requires the registration and reporting with the DOJ of persons acting within the U.S. as agents of foreign principals. The law also requires foreign agents to label the informational materials they distribute.

The DOJ is proposing new regulations regarding exemptions to FARA’s registration requirement, the filing and labeling of informational materials, and other issues to ensure the regulations keep pace with technological changes.

FARA has eight exemptions allowing a person engaging in otherwise covered activities for or in the interests of a foreign principal to be exempt from registration if certain criteria are met. The DOJ proposes changes when addressing exemptions for bona fide trade and commerce activities and activities not predominantly serving a foreign interest. They also want changes for the exemption of activities by attorneys in connection with certain proceedings, investigations, and inquiries.

The DOJ proposes defining  informational materials by regulation as any material that the person disseminating it believes or has reason to believe will, or which the person intends to in any way, influence any agency or official of the U.S. government or any section of the public within the U.S., with reference to formulating, adopting, or changing the domestic or foreign policies of the U.S. or with reference to the political or public interests, policies, or relations of a government of a foreign country or a foreign political party. They additionally propose significant changes relating to how informational materials must be labeled, including conspicuous statements with the name of the country or territory where the foreign principal is located.

The department is also proposing a series of technological provisions including how registration statements are filed, how registration fees are paid, the limited need for in-person public examination of registration statements when they are available online, the DOJ’s need for an agent’s business email address to expedite communications with the agent, and updates to the advisory opinion request procedure.

Public comments on the proposed rule changes will be considered until March 3, 2025.

Campaign Finance

National: “The Big Companies Funding Trump’s Inauguration Despite Denouncing Jan. 6” by Rebecca Ballhaus, Dana Mattioli, Shalini Ramachandran, and Maggie Severn (Wall Street Journal) for MSN

Maine: “Maine Delays Enforcement of Campaign Donor Limits” by Randy Billings (Portland Press Herald) for Yahoo News

Elections

Ohio: “Ohio Secretary of State’s Office Moves to Keep Little-Known Law from Tripping Up Transgender Candidates’ Campaigns” by Jeremy Pelzer (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN

Ethics

Alabama: “Alabama Ethics Bill Cited in Report on Attempts to Reduce Ethics Commission Powers” by Ralph Chapoco (Alabama Reflector) for Yahoo News

Illinois: “Mayor Brandon Johnson Faced Ethics Concerns Over Ties to Chicago Public Schools and Teachers Union, According to Memo” by Nell Salzman, Alice Yin, and Gregory Royal Pratt (Chicago Tribune) for MSN

Michigan: “Michigan Transparency Plans Die Again, Keeping Public in the Dark” by Simon Schuster for Bridge Michigan

National: “Social Media Companies Face Global Tug-of-War Over Free Speech” by Cecilia King and Adam Satariano (New York Times) for DNyuz

New York: “Trump Loses Appeal in $5 Million E. Jean Carroll Defamation, Sexual Abuse Case” by Perry Stein and Shayna Jacobs (Washington Post) for MSN

Virginia: “Former Virginia Sheriff Convicted of Bribery in Badges-for-Dollars Scheme” by Paul Duggan (Washington Post) for MSN

Campaign Finance

Hawaii: “Legislature May Take a Stand Against Decades of Pay-To-Play Politics” by Blaze Lovell for Honolulu Civil Beat

Missouri: “Missouri Ethics Commission Fines ‘Truth In Politics’ $250K for Defying Campaign Laws” by Claudette Riley (Springfield News-Leader) for Yahoo News

Elections

Georgia: “Court Rules Georgia Lawmakers Can Subpoena Fani Willis for Information Related to Her Trump Case” by Kate Brumback and Jeff Amy (Associated Press) for MSN

Ethics

National: “House Ethics Report Says Matt Gaetz Paid for Sex, Possessed Drugs” by Jacqueline Alemany, Justine McDaniel, and Marianna Sotomayor (Washington Post) for MSN

Ohio: “No Trial Dates. Endless Disputes. Here’s Why the FirstEnergy Bribery Cases Are Mired in Delay” by Jake Zuckerman (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN

Legislative Issues

National: “House Member in Assisted Living Draws Fresh Scrutiny to an Aging Congress” by Katie Edmondson (New York Times) for Seattle Times

Lobbying

California: “Number of Registered Lobbyists Jumps to a Record High in California” by Sameea Kamal (CalMatters) for MSN

National: “Foreign-Company Lobbyists Would Need to Register Under Proposed DOJ Regulation” by Dan Novak for National Law Review

Gov. Tim Walz issued a writ of special election to fill the vacant seat in House District 40B following the resignation of Representative-elect Curtis Johnson.

The special election will be held on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

If necessary, a special primary election will be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

Johnson won the seat by more than 30% at the Nov. 5 election, but a district judge ruled last Friday the DFL candidate did not meet the residency requirement to serve the district.

Gov. Kim Reynolds called a special election for January 28, 2025, to fill the Senate District 35 vacancy caused by the resignation of Sen. Chris Cournoyer.

Cournoyer resigned effective December 16 when Gov. Reynolds appointed her lieutenant governor.

The new Lobbying Information System will be live on January 2, 2025.

The previous system will remain operational for filing reports from the 2023-2024 biennium, which are due January 15, 2025.

The Elections Division requests the reports be filed as soon as possible. The new system will use the same web address as the previous system and will be more intuitive and user friendly.

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.

Campaign Finance

New York: “Mayor Adams’ Campaign Faces Potential ‘Breach of Certification’ Finding Over Federal Corruption Case” by Chris Sommerfeldt (New York Daily News) for MSN

Elections

Georgia: “Fani Willis Disqualified from Trump Election Case by Georgia Appellate Court” by Holly Bailey (Washington Post) for MSN

Ethics

Illinois: “Former AT&T Illinois Executive Accused of Bribing Mike Madigan Gets New Trial Date” by Tina Sfondeles and Jon Seidel (Chicago Sun-Times) for WBEZ

Ohio: “Former Cleveland City Councilman Basheer Jones Pleads Guilty to Federal Corruption Charges” by Adam Ferrise (Cleveland Plain Dealer) for MSN

Legislative Issues

Indiana: “Indiana Sen. Greg Taylor Out as Democratic Leader Despite Denying Sexual Harassment” by Tony Cook; Kayla Dwyer, and Hayleigh Colombo (Indianapolis Star) for Yahoo News

Lobbying

Oregon: “New Lobbying Regulations Introduced in Portland Aim to Enhance Transparency and Oversight” by Samuel Hanson for Hoodline

Pennsylvania: “Are Lobbyist Emails to Lawmakers Public Records? A Pa. Court Will Decide.” by Angela Couloumbis for Spotlight PA

Rhode Island: “RI Advocacy Group Files Complaint Over McKee’s ILO Controversy. What to Know.” by Katherine Gregg (Providence Journal) for MSN

The Executive Branch Ethics Commission voted to raise the registration fee for Employers and Real Parties in Interest from $500 to $750.

This funding increase was authorized by House Bill 8, Section 61, passed during the 2024 regular legislative session for a new online filing system.

The executive agency lobbyist registration fee is paid with the updated registration statement due July 31 of each year and covers the July 1 to June 30 reporting period or through termination if occurring before June 30.

The updated registration statement forms have been updated to reflect this change.