Current law regulating campaign finance does not set limits on
contributions to candidates for municipal elections. For municipal elections held on or after January 1, 2024, the bill sets aggregate limits on contributions to candidates for municipal office from persons, excluding any small donor committee, for any election cycle in the amount of $250. The bill sets aggregate limits on contributions to candidates for municipal office from small donor committees for any election cycle in the amount of $2,500. The bill requires that these aggregate contribution limits be periodically adjusted for inflation consistent with other contribution limits and subjects the new contribution limits to existing statutory provisions governing the disclosure of campaign contributions.
The bill prohibits a political party from making any contribution
to a candidate committee for municipal office and prohibits a candidate committee from accepting any contribution from a political party.
The bill requires campaign contribution reports for candidates of
a municipal office to be filed with the municipal clerk no later than 90 days, 60 days, 30 days, and 15 days before and 30 days after the major election in election years and annually in off-election years. The bill clarifies that an independent expenditure committee that makes expenditures in connection with a municipal election must file its disclosure reports with the applicable municipal clerk.
The bill also extends the retention requirements for campaign
contribution reports from one year to 10 years.
