HB 16: "An Act amending campaign contribution limits for state and local office; directing the Alaska Public Offices Commission to adjust campaign contribution limits for state and local office once each decade beginning in 2031; and relating to campaign contribution reporting requirements."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 16 01 "An Act amending campaign contribution limits for state and local office; directing the 02 Alaska Public Offices Commission to adjust campaign contribution limits for state and 03 local office once each decade beginning in 2031; and relating to campaign contribution 04 reporting requirements." 05 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 06 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 07 to read: 08 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds that the people of the state believe 09 that political power and influence with public officials should not be allocated solely based on 10 wealth. Instead, reasonable limits on the amount of campaign contributions are necessary to 11 secure equal rights for Alaskans and to preserve the integrity of our elections. 12 * Sec. 2. AS 15.13.070(b) is amended to read: 13 (b) Except as provided in (h) of this section, an [AN] individual may 14 contribute not more than
01 (1) $2,000 each election cycle [$500 PER YEAR] to a nongroup entity 02 for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, to a 03 candidate, or to an individual who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate [, OR 04 TO A GROUP THAT IS NOT A POLITICAL PARTY]; 05 (2) $5,000 each [PER] year to a political party or other group. 06 * Sec. 3. AS 15.13.070(c) is amended to read: 07 (c) Except as provided in (h) of this section, a [A] group that is not a 08 political party may contribute not more than [$1,000 PER YEAR] 09 (1) $4,000 each election cycle to a candidate [,] or to an individual 10 who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate; 11 (2) $5,000 each year to another group, to a nongroup entity, or to a 12 political party. 13 * Sec. 4. AS 15.13.070(f) is amended to read: 14 (f) Except as provided in (h) of this section, a [A] nongroup entity may 15 contribute not more than 16 (1) $4,000 each election cycle [$1,000 A YEAR] to another nongroup 17 entity for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, to a 18 candidate, or to an individual who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate; 19 (2) $5,000 each year [, TO A GROUP, OR] to a political party or 20 other group. 21 * Sec. 5. AS 15.13.070(g) is amended to read: 22 (g) Where contributions are made to a joint campaign for governor and 23 lieutenant governor, 24 (1) an individual may contribute not more than $4,000 each election 25 cycle [$1,000 PER YEAR]; and 26 (2) a group may contribute not more than $8,000 each election cycle 27 [$2,000 PER YEAR]. 28 * Sec. 6. AS 15.13.070 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 29 (h) The contribution limits set out in (b)(1), (c)(2), and (f) of this section do 30 not apply to an individual, group, or nongroup entity contributing to a group or 31 nongroup entity that makes only independent expenditures.
01 (i) Beginning in the first quarter of calendar year 2031 and once every 10 02 years thereafter, the commission shall by regulation adjust the contribution limits set 03 out in this section by a percentage equal to the percentage of increase over the 04 preceding 10-year period in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for 05 urban Alaska prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor 06 Statistics, rounded to the nearest $50 increment. 07 * Sec. 7. AS 15.13.110(i) is amended to read: 08 (i) During an election cycle [A CAMPAIGN PERIOD], the commission may 09 not change the manner or format in which reports required of a candidate under this 10 chapter must be filed. [IN THIS SUBSECTION, "CAMPAIGN PERIOD" MEANS 11 THE PERIOD BEGINNING ON THE DATE THAT A CANDIDATE BECOMES 12 ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER THIS 13 CHAPTER AND ENDING ON THE DATE THAT A FINAL REPORT FOR THAT 14 SAME CAMPAIGN MUST BE FILED.] 15 * Sec. 8. AS 15.13.400 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 16 (20) "election cycle" means the period beginning on the date that a 17 candidate becomes eligible to receive campaign contributions under this chapter and 18 ending on the date that a final report for that same campaign must be filed. 19 * Sec. 9. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 20 read: 21 APPLICABILITY. This Act does not apply to contributions made to influence the 22 outcome of an election that occurred before the effective date of this Act.