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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 7089
January Session, 2025
AN ACT CONCERNING VARIOUS CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORMS
RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE ELECTIONS ENFORCEMENT
COMMISSION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subdivision (14) of section 9-601 of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 2
passage): 3
(14) ["Solicitor"] "Collector" means an individual appointed by a 4
treasurer of a committee to receive, but not to disburse, funds on behalf 5
of the committee. 6
Sec. 2. Subparagraph (B) of subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 7
9-7b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted 8
in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 9
(B) To issue an order when the commission finds that an intentional 10
violation of any provision of chapter 155 or 157 has been committed, 11
after an opportunity to be heard at a hearing conducted in accordance 12
with sections 4-176e to 4-184, inclusive, which order may contain one or 13
more of the following sanctions: (i) Removal of a treasurer, deputy 14
treasurer or [solicitor] collector; (ii) prohibition on serving as a treasurer, 15
deputy treasurer or [solicitor] collector; and (iii) in the case of a party 16
committee or a political committee, suspension of all political activities, 17 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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including, but not limited to, the receipt of contributions and the making 18
of expenditures, provided the commission may not order such a 19
suspension unless the commission has previously ordered the removal 20
of the treasurer and notifies the officers of the committee that the 21
commission is considering such suspension; 22
Sec. 3. Subsection (b) of section 9-602 of the general statutes is 23
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 24
passage): 25
(b) No contribution in aid of or in opposition to the candidacy of any 26
person or to any party or referendum question shall be made at any 27
time, except to the committee's treasurer whose designation is on file 28
with the proper authority, a [solicitor] collector or a candidate who is 29
exempt from the requirement to form a candidate committee and has 30
filed a certification. 31
Sec. 4. Subsections (c) and (d) of section 9-606 of the general statutes 32
are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 33
from passage): 34
(c) The treasurer of each committee, other than a political committee 35
established by an organization which receives its funds from the 36
organization's treasury, may appoint [solicitors. If solicitors] collectors. 37
If collectors are appointed, the treasurer shall receive and report all 38
contributions made or promised to each [solicitor. Each solicitor] 39
collector. Each collector shall submit to the treasurer a list of all 40
contributions made or promised to [him] such collector. The list shall be 41
complete as of seventy-two hours immediately preceding midnight of 42
the day preceding the dates on which the treasurer is required to file a 43
sworn statement as provided in section 9-608. Lists shall be received by 44
the treasurer not later than twenty-four hours immediately preceding 45
each required filing date. Each [solicitor] collector shall deposit all 46
contributions with the treasurer, [within] not later than seven days after 47
receipt. No [solicitor] collector shall expend any contributions received 48
by [him] such collector or disburse such contributions to any person 49 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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other than the treasurer. 50
(d) No person shall act as a treasurer or deputy treasurer (1) unless 51
the person is an elector of this state, the person has paid any civil 52
penalties or forfeitures assessed pursuant to chapters 155 to 157, 53
inclusive, and a statement, signed by the [chairman] chairperson in the 54
case of a party committee or political committee or by the candidate in 55
the case of a candidate committee, designating the person as treasurer 56
or deputy treasurer, has been filed in accordance with section 9-603, and 57
(2) if such person has been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere 58
to, in a court of competent jurisdiction, any (A) felony involving fraud, 59
forgery, larceny, embezzlement or bribery, or (B) criminal offense under 60
this title, unless at least eight years have elapsed from the date of the 61
conviction or plea or the completion of any sentence, whichever date is 62
later, without a subsequent conviction of or plea to another such felony 63
or offense. In the case of a political committee, the filing of a statement 64
of organization by the [chairman] chairperson of the committee, in 65
accordance with the provisions of section 9-605, shall constitute 66
compliance with the filing requirements of this section. No provision of 67
this subsection shall prevent the treasurer, deputy treasurer or [solicitor] 68
collector of any committee from being the treasurer, deputy treasurer or 69
[solicitor] collector of any other committee or prevent any committee 70
from having more than one [solicitor] collector, but no candidate shall 71
have more than one treasurer. A candidate shall not serve as the 72
candidate's own treasurer or deputy treasurer, except that a candidate 73
who is exempt from forming a candidate committee under subsection 74
(b) of section 9-604 and has filed a certification that the candidate is 75
financing the candidate's campaign from the candidate's own personal 76
funds or is not receiving or expending in excess of one thousand dollars 77
may perform the duties of a treasurer for the candidate's own campaign. 78
Sec. 5. Subdivision (25) of section 9-601 of the general statutes is 79
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 80
passage): 81
(25) "Organization expenditure" means an expenditure by a party 82 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership 83
committee for the benefit of a candidate or candidate committee for: 84
(A) The preparation, display or mailing or other distribution of a 85
party candidate listing. As used in this subparagraph, "party candidate 86
listing" means any communication that meets the following criteria: (i) 87
The communication lists the name or names of candidates for election 88
to public office, (ii) the communication is distributed through public 89
advertising such as broadcast stations, cable television, newspapers or 90
similar media, or through direct mail, telephone, electronic mail, 91
publicly accessible sites on the Internet or personal delivery, and (iii) the 92
communication is made to promote the success or defeat of any 93
candidate or slate of candidates seeking the nomination for election, or 94
election or for the purpose of aiding or promoting the success or defeat 95
of any referendum question or the success or defeat of any political 96
party, provided such communication is not a solicitation for or on behalf 97
of a candidate committee; 98
(B) A document in printed or electronic form, including a party 99
platform, an electronic page providing merchant account services to be 100
used by a candidate for the collection of on-line contributions, a copy of 101
an issue paper, information pertaining to the requirements of this title, 102
a list of registered voters and voter identification information, which 103
document is created or maintained by a party committee, legislative 104
caucus committee or legislative leadership committee for the general 105
purposes of party or caucus building and is provided (i) to a candidate 106
who is a member of the party that has established such party committee, 107
or (ii) to a candidate who is a member of the party of the caucus or leader 108
who has established such legislative caucus committee or legislative 109
leadership committee, whichever is applicable; 110
(C) A campaign event at which (i) campaign materials are present 111
and food or beverage may be provided, but at which no contribution 112
shall be received, solicited or bundled, or (ii) a candidate or candidates 113
are present; or 114 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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(D) The retention of the services of an advisor or individual to 115
provide assistance relating to a candidate's campaign. 116
Sec. 6. Subdivision (9) of subsection (b) of section 9-601c of the general 117
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 118
(Effective from passage): 119
(9) An expenditure made by a person or an entity for consultant or 120
creative services, including, but not limited to, services related to 121
communications strategy or design or campaign strategy or to engage a 122
campaign-related vendor, to be used to promote or oppose a candidate's 123
election to office if the provider of such services is or has provided 124
consultant or creative services to such candidate, such candidate's 125
candidate committee or an agent of such candidate committee, or to any 126
opposing candidate's candidate committee or an agent of such 127
candidate committee after January first of the year in which the 128
expenditure occurs. For purposes of this subdivision, communications 129
strategy or design does not include the costs of printing or costs for the 130
use of a medium for the purpose of communications. For purposes of 131
this subdivision, [campaign-related vendor] "campaign-related vendor" 132
includes, but is not limited to, a vendor that provides the following 133
services: [Polling, mail design, mail strategy, political strategy, general 134
campaign advice or telephone banking] (A) Campaign strategy, (B) 135
design or management of campaign communications, literature or 136
advertising, or (C) fundraising or management services, including the 137
identification, hiring and payment of subvendors for goods or services 138
on behalf of a committee. 139
Sec. 7. Section 9-622 of the general statutes is repealed and the 140
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 141
The following persons shall be guilty of illegal practices and shall be 142
punished in accordance with the provisions of section 9-623: 143
(1) Any person who, directly or indirectly, individually or by another 144
person, gives or offers or promises to any person any money, gift, 145
advantage, preferment, entertainment, aid, emolument or other 146 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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valuable thing for the purpose of inducing or procuring any person to 147
sign a nominating, primary or referendum petition or to vote or refrain 148
from voting for or against any person or for or against any measure at 149
any election, caucus, convention, primary or referendum; 150
(2) Any person who, directly or indirectly, receives, accepts, requests 151
or solicits from any person, committee, association, organization or 152
corporation, any money, gift, advantage, preferment, aid, emolument or 153
other valuable thing for the purpose of inducing or procuring any 154
person to sign a nominating, primary or referendum petition or to vote 155
or refrain from voting for or against any person or for or against any 156
measure at any such election, caucus, primary or referendum; 157
(3) Any person who, in consideration of any money, gift, advantage, 158
preferment, aid, emolument or other valuable thing paid, received, 159
accepted or promised to the person's advantage or any other person's 160
advantage, votes or refrains from voting for or against any person or for 161
or against any measure at any such election, caucus, primary or 162
referendum; 163
(4) Any person who solicits from any candidate any money, gift, 164
contribution, emolument or other valuable thing for the purpose of 165
using the same for the support, assistance, benefit or expenses of any 166
club, company or organization, or for the purpose of defraying the cost 167
or expenses of any political campaign, primary, referendum or election; 168
(5) Any person who, directly or indirectly, pays, gives, contributes or 169
promises any money or other valuable thing to defray or towards 170
defraying the cost or expenses of any campaign, primary, referendum 171
or election to any person, committee, company, club, organization or 172
association, other than to a treasurer, except that this subdivision shall 173
not apply to any expenses for postage, telegrams, telephoning, 174
stationery, express charges, traveling, meals, lodging or photocopying 175
incurred by any candidate for office or for nomination to office, so far as 176
may be permitted under the provisions of this chapter; 177
(6) Any person who, in order to secure or promote the person's own 178 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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nomination or election as a candidate, or that of any other person, 179
directly or indirectly, promises to appoint, or promises to secure or 180
assist in securing the appointment, nomination or election of any other 181
person to any public position, or to any position of honor, trust or 182
emolument; but any person may publicly announce the person's own 183
choice or purpose in relation to any appointment, nomination or 184
election in which the person may be called to take part, if the person is 185
nominated for or elected to such office; 186
(7) Any person who, directly or indirectly, individually or through 187
another person, makes a payment or promise of payment to a treasurer 188
in a name other than the person's own, and any treasurer who 189
knowingly receives a payment or promise of payment, or enters or 190
causes the same to be entered in the person's accounts in any other name 191
than that of the person by whom such payment or promise of payment 192
is made; 193
(8) Any person who knowingly and wilfully violates any provision 194
of this chapter; 195
(9) Any person who offers or receives a cash contribution in excess of 196
one hundred dollars to promote the success or defeat of any political 197
party, candidate or referendum question; 198
(10) Any person who solicits, makes or receives a contribution that is 199
otherwise prohibited by any provision of this chapter; 200
(11) Any department head or deputy department head of a state 201
department who solicits a contribution on behalf of, or for the benefit of, 202
any candidate for state, district or municipal office or any political party; 203
(12) Any municipal employee who solicits a contribution on behalf 204
of, or for the benefit of, any candidate for state, district or municipal 205
office, any political committee or any political party, from (A) an 206
individual under the supervision of such employee, or (B) the spouse or 207
a dependent child of such individual; 208 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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(13) Any person who makes an expenditure, that is not an 209
independent expenditure, for a candidate without the knowledge of 210
such candidate. No candidate shall be civilly or criminally liable with 211
regard to any such expenditure; 212
(14) Any chief of staff of a legislative caucus who solicits a 213
contribution on behalf of or for the benefit of any candidate for state, 214
district or municipal office from an employee of the legislative caucus; 215
(15) Any chief of staff for a state-wide elected official who solicits a 216
contribution on behalf of or for the benefit of any candidate for state, 217
district or municipal office from a member of such official's staff; 218
(16) Any chief of staff for the Governor or Lieutenant Governor who 219
solicits a contribution on behalf of or for the benefit of any candidate for 220
state, district or municipal office from a member of the staff of the 221
Governor or Lieutenant Governor, or from any commissioner or deputy 222
commissioner of any state agency; 223
(17) Any foreign national that makes, directly or indirectly, (A) any 224
contribution or any express or implied promise to make a contribution, 225
or (B) any expenditure; [or] 226
(18) Any person who solicits, accepts or receives any contribution or 227
covered transfer from a foreign national; or 228
(19) Any campaign-related vendor, as described in subdivision (9) of 229
subsection (b) of section 9-601c, as amended by this act, who is paid by 230
a qualified candidate committee in excess of ten per cent of the Citizens' 231
Election Program grant received by such qualified candidate committee, 232
or five thousand dollars, whichever is less, and who fails to provide to 233
the treasurer of such qualified candidate committee complete 234
documentation regarding any financial obligation made or to be made 235
on behalf of such qualified candidate committee by such campaign-236
related vendor, which documentation is necessary for the treasurer of 237
such qualified candidate committee to perform such treasurer's duties 238
under chapters 155 to 157, inclusive. 239 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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Sec. 8. Subsections (b) and (c) of section 9-704 of the general statutes 240
are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 241
1, 2025): 242
(b) (1) (A) For elections for the office of Governor or Lieutenant 243
Governor held in 2026, the aggregate contribution amounts in 244
subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of this section, as applicable, shall 245
be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission not later 246
than July 3, 2025, in accordance with any change in the consumer price 247
index for all urban consumers as published by the United States 248
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period 249
beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December 31, 2024. 250
[(b) (1)] (B) For elections for the office of Governor or Lieutenant 251
Governor held in [2022] 2030, and thereafter, the aggregate contribution 252
amounts in subdivision (1) or (2) [, as applicable,] of subsection (a) of 253
this section, as applicable, shall be adjusted by the State Elections 254
Enforcement Commission not later than January 15, [2022] 2029, and 255
quadrennially thereafter, in accordance with any change in the 256
consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the 257
United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during 258
the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December 259
thirty-first in the year preceding the year in which said adjustment is to 260
be made. 261
(2) (A) For elections for the office of Attorney General, State 262
Comptroller, State Treasurer or Secretary of the State held in 2026, the 263
aggregate contribution amounts in subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of 264
this section shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement 265
Commission not later than July 3, 2025, in accordance with any change 266
in the consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the 267
United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during 268
the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December 31, 269
2024. 270
[(2)] (B) For elections for the office of Attorney General, State 271 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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Comptroller, State Treasurer or Secretary of the State held in [2018] 2030, 272
and thereafter, the aggregate contribution amounts in subdivision (2) of 273
subsection (a) of this section shall be adjusted by the State Elections 274
Enforcement Commission not later than January 15, [2018] 2029, and 275
quadrennially thereafter, in accordance with any change in the 276
consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the 277
United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during 278
the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December 279
thirty-first in the year preceding the year in which said adjustment is to 280
be made. 281
(3) (A) [Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, 282
for] For elections for the office of state senator or state representative 283
held in [2018, and thereafter] 2026, the aggregate contribution amounts 284
in subdivision (3) or (4) [, as applicable,] of subsection (a) of this section, 285
as applicable, shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement 286
Commission not later than [January 15, 2018, and biennially thereafter] 287
July 3, 2025, in accordance with any change in the consumer price index 288
for all urban consumers as published by the United States Department 289
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on 290
January 1, 2017, and ending on [December thirty-first in the year 291
preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made] December 292
31, 2024. 293
(B) For elections for the office of state senator or state representative 294
held in [2024] 2028, and thereafter, the aggregate contribution amounts 295
in subdivision (3) or (4) [, as applicable,] of subsection (a) of this section, 296
as applicable, shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement 297
Commission not later than January 15, [2024] 2027, and biennially 298
thereafter, in accordance with any change in the consumer price index 299
for all urban consumers as published by the United States Department 300
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on 301
January 1, 2017, and ending on December [31, 2021] thirty-first in the 302
year preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made. 303
(c) (1) (A) For elections for the office of Governor, Lieutenant 304 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or 305
Secretary of the State held in 2026, the two-hundred-fifty-dollar 306
maximum individual contribution amount in subdivision (1) or (2) of 307
subsection (a) of this section, as applicable, shall be adjusted by the State 308
Elections Enforcement Commission not later than July 3, 2025, in 309
accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all urban 310
consumers as published by the United States Department of Labor, 311
Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on January 1, 312
2017, and ending on December 31, 2024. 313
[(c) (1)] (B) For elections for the office of Governor, Lieutenant 314
Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or 315
Secretary of the State held in [2022] 2030, and thereafter, the two-316
hundred-fifty-dollar maximum individual contribution amount in 317
subdivision (1) or (2) [, as applicable,] of subsection (a) of this section, as 318
applicable, shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement 319
Commission not later than January 15, [2022] 2029, and quadrennially 320
thereafter, in accordance with any change in the consumer price index 321
for all urban consumers as published by the United States Department 322
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on 323
January 1, 2017, and ending on December thirty-first in the year 324
preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made. 325
(2) (A) For elections for the office of state senator or state 326
representative held in 2026, the two-hundred-fifty-dollar maximum 327
individual contribution amount in subdivision (3) or (4) of subsection 328
(a) of this section, as applicable, shall be adjusted by the State Elections 329
Enforcement Commission not later than July 3, 2025, in accordance with 330
any change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers as 331
published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor 332
Statistics, during the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending 333
on December 31, 2024. 334
[(2)] (B) For elections for the office of state senator or state 335
representative held in [2020] 2028, and thereafter, the two-hundred-336
fifty-dollar maximum individual contribution amount in subdivision (3) 337 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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or (4) [, as applicable,] of subsection (a) of this section, as applicable, 338
shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission not 339
later than January 15, [2020] 2027, and biennially thereafter, in 340
accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all urban 341
consumers as published by the United States Department of Labor, 342
Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on January 1, 343
2017, and ending on December thirty-first in the year preceding the year 344
in which said adjustment is to be made. 345
Sec. 9. Subsection (a) of section 9-706 of the general statutes is 346
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 347
1, 2028): 348
(a) (1) (A) A participating major party candidate for nomination to 349
the office of Governor in [2026] 2030, or thereafter, may apply to the 350
State Elections Enforcement Commission for a grant from the fund 351
under the Citizens' Election Program for a convention campaign, 352
beginning in January of the year preceding the election for said office 353
and after such candidate files the affidavit under section 9-703 certifying 354
such candidate's intent to abide by the expenditure limits under said 355
program. 356
(B) A participating candidate for nomination to the office of state 357
senator or state representative in 2008, or thereafter, or the office of 358
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, 359
Secretary of the State or State Treasurer in 2010, or thereafter, may apply 360
to the State Elections Enforcement Commission for a grant from the 361
fund under the Citizens' Election Program for a primary campaign, after 362
the close of the state convention of the candidate's party that is called 363
for the purpose of choosing candidates for nomination for the office that 364
the candidate is seeking, if a primary is required under chapter 153, and 365
(i) said party endorses the candidate for the office that the candidate is 366
seeking, (ii) the candidate is seeking nomination to the office of 367
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, 368
State Treasurer or Secretary of the State or the district office of state 369
senator or state representative and receives at least fifteen per cent of the 370 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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votes of the convention delegates present and voting on any roll-call 371
vote taken on the endorsement or proposed endorsement of a candidate 372
for the office the candidate is seeking, or (iii) the candidate circulates a 373
petition and obtains the required number of signatures for filing a 374
candidacy for nomination for (I) the office of Governor, Lieutenant 375
Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or 376
Secretary of the State or the district office of state senator or state 377
representative, pursuant to section 9-400, or (II) the municipal office of 378
state senator or state representative, pursuant to section 9-406, 379
whichever is applicable. 380
(C) The State Elections Enforcement Commission shall make any 381
such grants to participating candidates in accordance with the 382
provisions of subsections (d) to (g), inclusive, of this section. 383
(2) A participating candidate for nomination to the office of state 384
senator or state representative in 2008, or thereafter, or the office of 385
Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, Secretary of the State or 386
State Treasurer in 2010, or thereafter, may apply to the State Elections 387
Enforcement Commission for a grant from the fund under the Citizens' 388
Election Program for a general election campaign: 389
(A) After the close of the state or district convention or municipal 390
caucus, convention or town committee meeting, whichever is 391
applicable, of the candidate's party that is called for the purpose of 392
choosing candidates for nomination for the office that the candidate is 393
seeking, if (i) said party endorses said candidate for the office that the 394
candidate is seeking and no other candidate of said party files a 395
candidacy with the Secretary of the State in accordance with the 396
provisions of section 9-400 or 9-406, whichever is applicable, (ii) the 397
candidate is seeking election to the office of Governor, Lieutenant 398
Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or 399
Secretary of the State or the district office of state senator or state 400
representative and receives at least fifteen per cent of the votes of the 401
convention delegates present and voting on any roll-call vote taken on 402
the endorsement or proposed endorsement of a candidate for the office 403 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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the candidate is seeking, no other candidate for said office at such 404
convention either receives the party endorsement or said percentage of 405
said votes for said endorsement or files a certificate of endorsement with 406
the Secretary of the State in accordance with the provisions of section 9-407
388 or a candidacy with the Secretary of the State in accordance with the 408
provisions of section 9-400, and no other candidate for said office 409
circulates a petition and obtains the required number of signatures for 410
filing a candidacy for nomination for said office pursuant to section 9-411
400, (iii) the candidate is seeking election to the office of Governor, 412
Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State 413
Treasurer or Secretary of the State or the district office of state senator 414
or state representative, circulates a petition and obtains the required 415
number of signatures for filing a candidacy for nomination for said 416
office pursuant to section 9-400 and no other candidate for said office at 417
the state or district convention either receives the party endorsement or 418
said percentage of said votes for said endorsement or files a certificate 419
of endorsement with the Secretary of the State in accordance with the 420
provisions of section 9-388 or a candidacy with the Secretary of the State 421
in accordance with the provisions of section 9-400, or (iv) the candidate 422
is seeking election to the municipal office of state senator or state 423
representative, circulates a petition and obtains the required number of 424
signatures for filing a candidacy for nomination for the office the 425
candidate is seeking pursuant to section 9-406 and no other candidate 426
for said office at the caucus, convention or town committee meeting 427
either receives the party endorsement or files a certification of 428
endorsement with the town clerk in accordance with the provisions of 429
section 9-391; 430
(B) After any primary held by such party for nomination for said 431
office, if the Secretary of the State declares that the candidate is the party 432
nominee in accordance with the provisions of section 9-440; 433
(C) In the case of a minor party candidate, after the nomination of 434
such candidate is certified and filed with the Secretary of the State 435
pursuant to section 9-452; or 436 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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(D) In the case of a petitioning party candidate, after approval by the 437
Secretary of the State of such candidate's nominating petition pursuant 438
to section 9-453o. 439
(3) A participating candidate for nomination to the office of state 440
senator or state representative at a special election in 2008, or thereafter, 441
may apply to the State Elections Enforcement Commission for a grant 442
from the fund under the Citizens' Election Program for a general 443
election campaign after the close of the district convention or municipal 444
caucus, convention or town committee meeting of the candidate's party 445
that is called for the purpose of choosing candidates for nomination for 446
the office that the candidate is seeking. 447
(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this 448
subsection, no participating candidate for nomination or election who 449
changes the candidate's status as a major party, minor party or 450
petitioning party candidate or becomes a candidate of a different party, 451
after filing the [affidavit required under section 9-703] grant application 452
under this section, shall be eligible to [apply for a grant] receive 453
additional grant funds under the Citizens' Election Program for such 454
candidate's primary campaign for such nomination or general election 455
campaign for such election. The provisions of this subdivision shall not 456
apply in the case of a candidate who is nominated by more than one 457
party and does not otherwise change the candidate's status as a major 458
party, minor party or petitioning party candidate. 459
(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, no candidate 460
may apply to the State Elections Enforcement Commission for a grant 461
from the fund under the Citizens' Election Program if such candidate 462
has been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, in a court of 463
competent jurisdiction, any (A) criminal offense under this title unless 464
at least eight years have elapsed from the date of the conviction or plea 465
or the completion of any sentence, whichever date is later, without a 466
subsequent conviction of or plea to another such offense, or (B) a felony 467
related to the individual's public office, other than an offense under this 468
title in accordance with subparagraph (A) of this subdivision. 469 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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Sec. 10. Subsection (d) of section 9-706 of the general statutes is 470
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 471
passage): 472
(d) (1) In accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of this 473
section, the commission shall review the application, determine whether 474
[(1)] (A) the candidate committee for the applicant has received the 475
required qualifying contributions, [(2)] (B) in the case of an application 476
for a grant from the fund for a convention campaign, the applicant has 477
met the applicable condition under subsection (a) of this section for 478
applying for such grant and complied with the provisions of subsections 479
(b) and (c) of this section, [(3)] (C) in the case of an application for a grant 480
from the fund for a primary campaign, the applicant has met the 481
applicable condition under subsection (a) of this section for applying for 482
such grant and complied with the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) 483
of this section, [(4)] (D) in the case of an application for a grant from the 484
fund for a general election campaign, the applicant has met the 485
applicable condition under subsection (a) of this section for applying for 486
such grant and complied with the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) 487
of this section, and [(5)] (E) in the case of an application by a minor party 488
or petitioning party candidate for a grant from the fund for a general 489
election campaign, the applicant qualifies as an eligible minor party 490
candidate or an eligible petitioning party candidate, whichever is 491
applicable. 492
(2) (A) If the commission approves an application, the commission 493
shall determine the amount of the grant payable to the candidate 494
committee for the applicant pursuant to section 9-705 from the fund, and 495
notify the State Comptroller and the candidate of such candidate 496
committee of such amount. 497
(B) (i) If the timing of the commission's approval of the grant for a 498
convention campaign in relation to the commission's consumer price 499
index adjustment under subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of section 9-500
705 is such that the commission cannot yet determine the final amount 501
of the convention campaign grant, the commission shall approve the 502 Substitute Bill No. 7089
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unadjusted initial amount. The commission shall then authorize the 503
payment of any remaining portion of the convention campaign grant 504
after such adjustment has been made. 505
(ii) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (B)(i) of this 506
subdivision, the candidate committee of an applicant who submits an 507
application prior to July 3, 2025, shall only be approved by the 508
commission to receive payment of the unadjusted amount described in 509
said subparagraph. 510
(C) If the timing of the commission's approval of the grant for a 511
primary campaign or general election campaign in relation to the 512
Secretary of the State's determination of ballot status is such that the 513
commission cannot determine whether the qualified candidate 514
committee is entitled to the applicable full initial grant for the primary 515
or election or the applicable partial grant for the primary or election, as 516
the case may be, the commission shall approve the lesser applicable 517
partial initial grant. The commission shall then authorize the payment 518
of the remaining portion of the applicable primary campaign or general 519
election campaign grant after the commission has knowledge of the 520
circumstances regarding the ballot status of the opposing candidates in 521
such primary or election. 522
(D) Not later than thirty days following notification by the 523
commission in the case of a convention campaign grant, or not later than 524
two business days following notification by the commission in the case 525
of any other grant, the State Comptroller shall draw an order on the 526
State Treasurer for payment of any such approved amount to the 527
qualified candidate committee from the fund. 528
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 from passage 9-601(14)
Sec. 2 from passage 9-7b(a)(3)(B)
Sec. 3 from passage 9-602(b)
Sec. 4 from passage 9-606(c) and (d) Substitute Bill No. 7089
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Sec. 5 from passage 9-601(25)
Sec. 6 from passage 9-601c(b)(9)
Sec. 7 from passage 9-622
Sec. 8 July 1, 2025 9-704(b) and (c)
Sec. 9 January 1, 2028 9-706(a)
Sec. 10 from passage 9-706(d)
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
Section 10(d)(2)(B)(i) was rewritten for clarity; and in Section
10(d)(2)(B)(ii), "lesser amount" was changed to "unadjusted amount" for
accuracy.
GOS Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO