SB 463

Abstract

Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign funds, complaints, hearings, civil penalty. Prohibits any person from converting contributions to a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee for his personal use. Current law only prohibits such conversion of contributions with regard to disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaign or political committee. The bill provides that a contribution is considered to have been converted to personal use if the contribution, in whole or in part, is used to fulfill any commitment, obligation, or expense that would exist irrespective of the person's seeking, holding, or maintaining public office but excepts from "personal use" the ordinary and accepted expenses related to campaigning for or holding elective office, including the use of campaign funds to pay for the candidate's child care expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity. Any person subject to the personal use ban may request an advisory opinion from the State Board of Elections on such matters. The bill directs the State Board of Elections to provide an updated summary of Virginia campaign finance law that reflects the Attorney General's opinion and any regulations promulgated by the State Board of Elections.

Campaign finance; prohibited personal use ofcampaign funds; complaints, hearings, civil penalty, and advisory opinions. Prohibits any person from converting contributionsto a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee for their personaluse. Current law only prohibits such conversion of contributions with regard to disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaignor political committee. The bill provides that a contribution isconsidered to have been converted to personal use if the contribution,in whole or in part, is used to fulfill any commitment, obligation,or expense that would exist irrespective of the person's seeking,holding, or maintaining public office but excepts from "personaluse" the ordinary and accepted expenses related to campaigning foror holding elective office, including the use of campaign funds topay for the candidate's child care expenses that are incurred asa direct result of campaign activity. Any person subject to the personaluse ban may request an advisory opinion from the State Board of Electionson such matters. The bill directs the State Board of Elections toadopt emergency regulations similar to those promulgated by the FederalElection Commission to implement the provisions of the bill and toprovide an updated summary of Virginia campaign finance law thatreflects the Attorney General's opinion and any new regulations promulgatedby the State Board of Elections.