AK
Alaska House Bill HB16

Alaska 2025-2026 Regular Session

Alaska House Bill HB16 Compare Versions

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2-HB0016b -1- CSHB 16(STA)
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10-CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 16(STA)
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11+ HOUSE BILL NO. 16
1112
1213 IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
1314
1415 THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
1516
16-BY THE HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
17+BY REPRESENTATIVE SCHRAGE
1718
18-Offered: 4/11/25
19-Referred: Rules
19+Introduced: 1/10/25
20+Referred: Prefiled
2021
21-Sponsor(s): REPRESENTATIVES SCHRAGE, Galvin, Himschoot, Holland
22+
2223 A BILL
2324
2425 FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
2526
26-"An Act requiring a group supporting or opposing a candidate or ballot proposition in a 1
27-state or local election to maintain an address in the state; amending campaign 2
28-contribution limits for state and local office; directing the Alaska Public Offices 3
29-Commission to adjust campaign contribution limits for state and local office once each 4
30-decade beginning in 2031; relating to campaign contribution reporting requirements; 5
31-relating to administrative complaints filed with the Alaska Public Offices Commission; 6
32-relating to state election expenditures and contributions made by a foreign-influenced 7
33-corporation or foreign national; and providing for an effective date." 8
34-BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 9
35- * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 10
36-to read: 11
37-LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds that the people of the state believe 12 34-LS0217\N
38-CSHB 16(STA) -2- HB0016b
27+"An Act amending campaign contribution limits for state and local office; directing the 1
28+Alaska Public Offices Commission to adjust campaign contribution limits for state and 2
29+local office once each decade beginning in 2031; and relating to campaign contribution 3
30+reporting requirements." 4
31+BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 5
32+ * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 6
33+to read: 7
34+LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds that the people of the state believe 8
35+that political power and influence with public officials should not be allocated solely based on 9
36+wealth. Instead, reasonable limits on the amount of campaign contributions are necessary to 10
37+secure equal rights for Alaskans and to preserve the integrity of our elections. 11
38+ * Sec. 2. AS 15.13.070(b) is amended to read: 12
39+(b) Except as provided in (h) of this section, an [AN] individual may
40+13
41+contribute not more than 14 34-LS0217\A
42+HB 16 -2- HB0016a
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41-that political power and influence with public officials should not be allocated solely based on 1
42-wealth. Instead, reasonable limits on the amount of campaign contributions are necessary to 2
43-secure equal rights for Alaskans and to preserve the integrity of our elections. 3
44- * Sec. 2. AS 15.13.050(a) is amended to read: 4
45-(a) Before making an expenditure in support of or in opposition to a candidate 5
46-or before making an expenditure in support of or in opposition to a ballot proposition 6
47-or question or to an initiative proposal application filed with the lieutenant governor 7
48-under AS 15.45.020, each person other than an individual shall 8
49-(1) register, on forms provided by the commission, with the 9
50-commission; and 10
51-(2) provide the person's physical address in the state or the 11
52-physical address of the person's agent registered under (d) of this section. 12
53- * Sec. 3. AS 15.13.050 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 13
54-(d) A person may not register under (a) of this section unless the person has a 14
55-physical address in the state or registers with the commission an individual resident of 15
56-the state who maintains a physical address in the state or a domestic corporation 16
57-authorized to transact business in this state as the person's agent. A person shall notify 17
58-the commission within 10 days after a change to the person's in-state address, 18
59-registered agent, or the physical address of the person's registered agent. 19
60- * Sec. 4. AS 15.13.070(b) is amended to read: 20
61-(b) Except as provided in (h) of this section, an [AN] individual may 21
62-contribute not more than 22
63-(1) $2,000 each election cycle [$500 PER YEAR] to a nongroup entity 23
64-for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, to a 24
65-candidate, or to an individual who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate [, OR 25
66-TO A GROUP THAT IS NOT A POLITICAL PARTY]; 26
67-(2) $5,000 each [PER] year to a political party or other group. 27
68- * Sec. 5. AS 15.13.070(c) is amended to read: 28
69-(c) Except as provided in (h) of this section, a [A] group that is not a 29
70-political party may contribute not more than [$1,000 PER YEAR] 30
71-(1) $4,000 each election cycle to a candidate [,] or to an individual 31 34-LS0217\N
72-HB0016b -3- CSHB 16(STA)
45+(1) $2,000 each election cycle [$500 PER YEAR] to a nongroup entity 1
46+for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, to a 2
47+candidate, or to an individual who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate [, OR 3
48+TO A GROUP THAT IS NOT A POLITICAL PARTY]; 4
49+(2) $5,000 each [PER] year to a political party or other group. 5
50+ * Sec. 3. AS 15.13.070(c) is amended to read: 6
51+(c) Except as provided in (h) of this section, a [A] group that is not a 7
52+political party may contribute not more than [$1,000 PER YEAR] 8
53+(1) $4,000 each election cycle to a candidate [,] or to an individual 9
54+who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate; 10
55+(2) $5,000 each year to another group, to a nongroup entity, or to a 11
56+political party. 12
57+ * Sec. 4. AS 15.13.070(f) is amended to read: 13
58+(f) Except as provided in (h) of this section, a [A] nongroup entity may 14
59+contribute not more than 15
60+(1) $4,000 each election cycle [$1,000 A YEAR] to another nongroup 16
61+entity for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, to a 17
62+candidate, or to an individual who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate; 18
63+(2) $5,000 each year [, TO A GROUP, OR] to a political party or 19
64+other group. 20
65+ * Sec. 5. AS 15.13.070(g) is amended to read: 21
66+(g) Where contributions are made to a joint campaign for governor and 22
67+lieutenant governor, 23
68+(1) an individual may contribute not more than $4,000 each election 24
69+cycle [$1,000 PER YEAR]; and 25
70+(2) a group may contribute not more than $8,000 each election cycle 26
71+[$2,000 PER YEAR]. 27
72+ * Sec. 6. AS 15.13.070 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 28
73+(h) The contribution limits set out in (b)(1), (c)(2), and (f) of this section do 29
74+not apply to an individual, group, or nongroup entity contributing to a group or 30
75+nongroup entity that makes only independent expenditures. 31 34-LS0217\A
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75-who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate; 1
76-(2) $5,000 each year to another group, to a nongroup entity, or to a 2
77-political party. 3
78- * Sec. 6. AS 15.13.070(f) is amended to read: 4
79-(f) Except as provided in (h) of this section, a [A] nongroup entity may 5
80-contribute not more than 6
81-(1) $4,000 each election cycle [$1,000 A YEAR] to another nongroup 7
82-entity for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, to a 8
83-candidate, or to an individual who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate; 9
84-(2) $5,000 each year [, TO A GROUP, OR] to a political party or 10
85-other group. 11
86- * Sec. 7. AS 15.13.070(g) is amended to read: 12
87-(g) Where contributions are made to a joint campaign for governor and 13
88-lieutenant governor, 14
89-(1) an individual may contribute not more than $4,000 each election 15
90-cycle [$1,000 PER YEAR]; and 16
91-(2) a group may contribute not more than $8,000 each election cycle 17
92-[$2,000 PER YEAR]. 18
93- * Sec. 8. AS 15.13.070 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 19
94-(h) The contribution limits set out in (b)(1), (c)(2), and (f) of this section do 20
95-not apply to an individual, group, or nongroup entity contributing to a group or 21
96-nongroup entity that makes only independent expenditures. 22
97-(i) Beginning in the first quarter of calendar year 2031 and once every 10 23
98-years thereafter, the commission shall by regulation adjust the contribution limits set 24
99-out in this section by a percentage equal to the percentage of increase over the 25
100-preceding 10-year period in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for 26
101-urban Alaska prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor 27
102-Statistics, rounded to the nearest $50 increment. 28
103- * Sec. 9. AS 15.13.110(i) is amended to read: 29
104-(i) During an election cycle [A CAMPAIGN PERIOD], the commission may 30
105-not change the manner or format in which reports required of a candidate under this 31 34-LS0217\N
106-CSHB 16(STA) -4- HB0016b
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109-chapter must be filed. [IN THIS SUBSECTION, "CAMPAIGN PERIOD" MEANS 1
110-THE PERIOD BEGINNING ON THE DATE THAT A CANDIDATE BECOMES 2
111-ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER THIS 3
112-CHAPTER AND ENDING ON THE DATE THAT A FINAL REPORT FOR THAT 4
113-SAME CAMPAIGN MUST BE FILED.] 5
114- * Sec. 10. AS 15.13.380(e) is amended to read: 6
115-(e) If the commission accepts the complaint for consideration on a regular 7
116-rather than an expedited basis, the commission shall notify the respondent within 8
117-seven days after receiving the complaint and shall investigate the complaint. The 9
118-commission shall complete an investigation under this section within 90 days 10
119-after the date the commission receives the complaint unless the commission 11
120-extends the investigation for good cause. The respondent may answer the complaint 12
121-by filing a written response with the commission within 15 days after the commission 13
122-notifies the respondent of the complaint. The commission may grant the respondent 14
123-additional time to respond to the complaint only for good cause. The commission shall 15
124-hold a hearing on the complaint not later than 45 days after the respondent's written 16
125-response is due. Not later than 10 days after the hearing, the commission shall issue its 17
126-order. If the commission finds that the respondent has engaged in or is about to engage 18
127-in an act or practice that constitutes or will constitute a violation of this chapter or a 19
128-regulation adopted under this chapter, the commission shall enter an order requiring 20
129-the violation to be ceased or to be remedied and shall assess civil penalties under 21
130-AS 15.13.390. 22
131- * Sec. 11. AS 15.13.380 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 23
132-(l) Beginning 50 days after a complaint is filed, the commission shall provide 24
133-the complainant a report on the status of the commission's investigation at least every 25
134-10 days. 26
135- * Sec. 12. AS 15.13.400 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 27
136-(20) "election cycle" means the period beginning on the date that a 28
137-candidate becomes eligible to receive campaign contributions under this chapter and 29
138-ending on the date that a final report for that same campaign must be filed. 30
139- * Sec. 13. AS 15.13.068(b) and 15.13.068(c) are repealed. 31 34-LS0217\N
140-HB0016b -5- CSHB 16(STA)
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142-
143- * Sec. 14. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 1
144-read: 2
145-APPLICABILITY. This Act does not apply to contributions made to influence the 3
146-outcome of an election that occurred before the effective date of this Act. 4
147- * Sec. 15. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 5
79+(i) Beginning in the first quarter of calendar year 2031 and once every 10 1
80+years thereafter, the commission shall by regulation adjust the contribution limits set 2
81+out in this section by a percentage equal to the percentage of increase over the 3
82+preceding 10-year period in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for 4
83+urban Alaska prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor 5
84+Statistics, rounded to the nearest $50 increment. 6
85+ * Sec. 7. AS 15.13.110(i) is amended to read: 7
86+(i) During an election cycle [A CAMPAIGN PERIOD], the commission may 8
87+not change the manner or format in which reports required of a candidate under this 9
88+chapter must be filed. [IN THIS SUBSECTION, "CAMPAIGN PERIOD" MEANS 10
89+THE PERIOD BEGINNING ON THE DATE THAT A CANDIDATE BECOMES 11
90+ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER THIS 12
91+CHAPTER AND ENDING ON THE DATE THAT A FINAL REPORT FOR THAT 13
92+SAME CAMPAIGN MUST BE FILED.] 14
93+ * Sec. 8. AS 15.13.400 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 15
94+(20) "election cycle" means the period beginning on the date that a 16
95+candidate becomes eligible to receive campaign contributions under this chapter and 17
96+ending on the date that a final report for that same campaign must be filed. 18
97+ * Sec. 9. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 19
98+read: 20
99+APPLICABILITY. This Act does not apply to contributions made to influence the 21
100+outcome of an election that occurred before the effective date of this Act. 22