Earlier this year, the New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon MacDonald issued a letter to the Office of Secretary of State advising on his interpretation of some aspects of the state’s campaign finance laws.

Most notably, a footnote in the letter indicated MacDonald could require corporations making contributions in the state to register and report as political committees.

Under current state law, political committee registration is required for organizations making expenditures of $5,000 or more annually, even if the organization does not have as its major purpose to promote the success or defeat of candidates or measures. This regulation has been in place for several years during which corporate registration has not been the practice.

There is an exception to registration for organizations registered as business entities, but additional guidance on who qualifies as a business entity has not yet been made available.

Though there has been no change in the law to trigger a change in enforcement, MacDonald has indicated he is ramping up enforcement of campaign finance violations.