HB 1299

Abstract

Campaign finance; prohibited personal use; childcare exception. Prohibits any person from converting any moneys,securities, or like intangible personal property contributed to acandidate or a candidate's campaign committee to his personal use,the personal use of the candidate, or the personal use of a memberof the candidate's immediate family. Current law prohibits such conversionof contributions to personal use specifically with regard to disbursementof surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaign or political committee.The bill provides that a contribution is considered to have beenconverted to personal use if the contribution, in whole or in part,is used to fulfill any commitment, obligation, or expense that wouldexist irrespective of the person's seeking, holding, or maintainingpublic office but excepts from "personal use" the ordinary and acceptedexpenses related to campaigning for or holding elective office, including the use of campaign funds to pay for the candidate's childcare expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity.