LCO 1 of 11
General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 1533
January Session, 2025
AN ACT CONCERNING CHANGES TO THE CITIZENS' ELECTION
PROGRAM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subdivision (25) of section 9-601 of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 2
passage): 3
(25) "Organization expenditure" means an expenditure by a party 4
committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership 5
committee for the benefit of a candidate or candidate committee for: 6
(A) The preparation, display or mailing or other distribution of a 7
party candidate listing. As used in this subparagraph, "party candidate 8
listing" means any communication that meets the following criteria: (i) 9
The communication lists the name or names of candidates for election 10
to public office, (ii) the communication is distributed through public 11
advertising such as broadcast stations, cable television, newspapers or 12
similar media, or through direct mail, telephone, electronic mail, 13
publicly accessible sites on the Internet or personal delivery, and (iii) the 14
communication is made to promote the success or defeat of any 15
candidate or slate of candidates seeking the nomination for election, or 16
election or for the purpose of aiding or promoting the success or defeat 17
of any referendum question or the success or defeat of any political 18
party, provided such communication is not a solicitation for or on behalf 19 Substitute Bill No. 1533
LCO 2 of 11
of a candidate committee; 20
(B) A document in printed or electronic form, including a party 21
platform, an electronic page providing merchant account services to be 22
used by a candidate for the collection of on-line contributions, a copy of 23
an issue paper, information pertaining to the requirements of this title, 24
a list of registered voters and voter identification information, which 25
document is created or maintained by a party committee, legislative 26
caucus committee or legislative leadership committee for the general 27
purposes of party or caucus building and is provided (i) to a candidate 28
who is a member of the party that has established such party committee, 29
or (ii) to a candidate who is a member of the party of the caucus or leader 30
who has established such legislative caucus committee or legislative 31
leadership committee, whichever is applicable; 32
(C) A campaign event at which (i) campaign materials are present 33
and food or beverage may be provided, but at which no contribution 34
shall be received, solicited or bundled, or (ii) a candidate or candidates 35
are present; or 36
(D) The retention of the services of an advisor or individual to 37
provide assistance relating to a candidate's campaign. 38
Sec. 2. Subsections (b) and (c) of section 9-704 of the general statutes 39
are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 40
1, 2025): 41
(b) (1) (A) For elections for the office of Governor or Lieutenant 42
Governor held in 2026, the aggregate contribution amounts in 43
subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of this section, as applicable, shall 44
be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission not later 45
than July 3, 2025, in accordance with any change in the consumer price 46
index for all urban consumers as published by the United States 47
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period 48
beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December 31, 2024. 49
[(b) (1)] (B) For elections for the office of Governor or Lieutenant 50 Substitute Bill No. 1533
LCO 3 of 11
Governor held in [2022] 2030, and thereafter, the aggregate contribution 51
amounts in subdivision (1) or (2) [, as applicable,] of subsection (a) of 52
this section, as applicable, shall be adjusted by the State Elections 53
Enforcement Commission not later than January 15, [2022] 2029, and 54
quadrennially thereafter, in accordance with any change in the 55
consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the 56
United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during 57
the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December 58
thirty-first in the year preceding the year in which said adjustment is to 59
be made. 60
(2) (A) For elections for the office of Attorney General, State 61
Comptroller, State Treasurer or Secretary of the State held in 2026, the 62
aggregate contribution amounts in subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of 63
this section shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement 64
Commission not later than July 3, 2025, in accordance with any change 65
in the consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the 66
United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during 67
the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December 31, 68
2024. 69
[(2)] (B) For elections for the office of Attorney General, State 70
Comptroller, State Treasurer or Secretary of the State held in [2018] 2030, 71
and thereafter, the aggregate contribution amounts in subdivision (2) of 72
subsection (a) of this section shall be adjusted by the State Elections 73
Enforcement Commission not later than January 15, [2018] 2029, and 74
quadrennially thereafter, in accordance with any change in the 75
consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the 76
United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during 77
the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December 78
thirty-first in the year preceding the year in which said adjustment is to 79
be made. 80
(3) (A) [Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, 81
for] For elections for the office of state senator or state representative 82
held in [2018, and thereafter] 2026, the aggregate contribution amounts 83 Substitute Bill No. 1533
LCO 4 of 11
in subdivision (3) or (4) [, as applicable,] of subsection (a) of this section, 84
as applicable, shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement 85
Commission not later than [January 15, 2018, and biennially thereafter] 86
July 3, 2025, in accordance with any change in the consumer price index 87
for all urban consumers as published by the United States Department 88
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on 89
January 1, 2017, and ending on [December thirty-first in the year 90
preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made] December 91
31, 2024. 92
(B) For elections for the office of state senator or state representative 93
held in [2024] 2028, and thereafter, the aggregate contribution amounts 94
in subdivision (3) or (4) [, as applicable,] of subsection (a) of this section, 95
as applicable, shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement 96
Commission not later than January 15, [2024] 2027, and biennially 97
thereafter, in accordance with any change in the consumer price index 98
for all urban consumers as published by the United States Department 99
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on 100
January 1, 2017, and ending on December [31, 2021] thirty-first in the 101
year preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made. 102
(c) (1) (A) For elections for the office of Governor, Lieutenant 103
Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or 104
Secretary of the State held in 2026, the two-hundred-fifty-dollar 105
maximum individual contribution amount in subdivision (1) or (2) of 106
subsection (a) of this section, as applicable, shall be adjusted by the State 107
Elections Enforcement Commission not later than July 3, 2025, in 108
accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all urban 109
consumers as published by the United States Department of Labor, 110
Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on January 1, 111
2017, and ending on December 31, 2024. 112
[(c) (1)] (B) For elections for the office of Governor, Lieutenant 113
Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or 114
Secretary of the State held in [2022] 2030, and thereafter, the two-115
hundred-fifty-dollar maximum individual contribution amount in 116 Substitute Bill No. 1533
LCO 5 of 11
subdivision (1) or (2) [, as applicable,] of subsection (a) of this section, as 117
applicable, shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement 118
Commission not later than January 15, [2022] 2029, and quadrennially 119
thereafter, in accordance with any change in the consumer price index 120
for all urban consumers as published by the United States Department 121
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on 122
January 1, 2017, and ending on December thirty-first in the year 123
preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made. 124
(2) (A) For elections for the office of state senator or state 125
representative held in 2026, the two-hundred-fifty-dollar maximum 126
individual contribution amount in subdivision (3) or (4) of subsection 127
(a) of this section, as applicable, shall be adjusted by the State Elections 128
Enforcement Commission not later than July 3, 2025, in accordance with 129
any change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers as 130
published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor 131
Statistics, during the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending 132
on December 31, 2024. 133
[(2)] (B) For elections for the office of state senator or state 134
representative held in [2020] 2028, and thereafter, the two-hundred-135
fifty-dollar maximum individual contribution amount in subdivision (3) 136
or (4) [, as applicable,] of subsection (a) of this section, as applicable, 137
shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission not 138
later than January 15, [2020] 2027, and biennially thereafter, in 139
accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all urban 140
consumers as published by the United States Department of Labor, 141
Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on January 1, 142
2017, and ending on December thirty-first in the year preceding the year 143
in which said adjustment is to be made. 144
Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 9-706 of the general statutes is 145
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 146
1, 2028): 147
(a) (1) (A) A participating major party candidate for nomination to 148 Substitute Bill No. 1533
LCO 6 of 11
the office of Governor in [2026] 2030, or thereafter, may apply to the 149
State Elections Enforcement Commission for a grant from the fund 150
under the Citizens' Election Program for a convention campaign, 151
beginning in January of the year preceding the election for said office 152
and after such candidate files the affidavit under section 9-703 certifying 153
such candidate's intent to abide by the expenditure limits under said 154
program. 155
(B) A participating candidate for nomination to the office of state 156
senator or state representative in 2008, or thereafter, or the office of 157
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, 158
Secretary of the State or State Treasurer in 2010, or thereafter, may apply 159
to the State Elections Enforcement Commission for a grant from the 160
fund under the Citizens' Election Program for a primary campaign, after 161
the close of the state convention of the candidate's party that is called 162
for the purpose of choosing candidates for nomination for the office that 163
the candidate is seeking, if a primary is required under chapter 153, and 164
(i) said party endorses the candidate for the office that the candidate is 165
seeking, (ii) the candidate is seeking nomination to the office of 166
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, 167
State Treasurer or Secretary of the State or the district office of state 168
senator or state representative and receives at least fifteen per cent of the 169
votes of the convention delegates present and voting on any roll-call 170
vote taken on the endorsement or proposed endorsement of a candidate 171
for the office the candidate is seeking, or (iii) the candidate circulates a 172
petition and obtains the required number of signatures for filing a 173
candidacy for nomination for (I) the office of Governor, Lieutenant 174
Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or 175
Secretary of the State or the district office of state senator or state 176
representative, pursuant to section 9-400, or (II) the municipal office of 177
state senator or state representative, pursuant to section 9-406, 178
whichever is applicable. 179
(C) The State Elections Enforcement Commission shall make any 180
such grants to participating candidates in accordance with the 181
provisions of subsections (d) to (g), inclusive, of this section. 182 Substitute Bill No. 1533
LCO 7 of 11
(2) A participating candidate for nomination to the office of state 183
senator or state representative in 2008, or thereafter, or the office of 184
Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, Secretary of the State or 185
State Treasurer in 2010, or thereafter, may apply to the State Elections 186
Enforcement Commission for a grant from the fund under the Citizens' 187
Election Program for a general election campaign: 188
(A) After the close of the state or district convention or municipal 189
caucus, convention or town committee meeting, whichever is 190
applicable, of the candidate's party that is called for the purpose of 191
choosing candidates for nomination for the office that the candidate is 192
seeking, if (i) said party endorses said candidate for the office that the 193
candidate is seeking and no other candidate of said party files a 194
candidacy with the Secretary of the State in accordance with the 195
provisions of section 9-400 or 9-406, whichever is applicable, (ii) the 196
candidate is seeking election to the office of Governor, Lieutenant 197
Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or 198
Secretary of the State or the district office of state senator or state 199
representative and receives at least fifteen per cent of the votes of the 200
convention delegates present and voting on any roll-call vote taken on 201
the endorsement or proposed endorsement of a candidate for the office 202
the candidate is seeking, no other candidate for said office at such 203
convention either receives the party endorsement or said percentage of 204
said votes for said endorsement or files a certificate of endorsement with 205
the Secretary of the State in accordance with the provisions of section 9-206
388 or a candidacy with the Secretary of the State in accordance with the 207
provisions of section 9-400, and no other candidate for said office 208
circulates a petition and obtains the required number of signatures for 209
filing a candidacy for nomination for said office pursuant to section 9-210
400, (iii) the candidate is seeking election to the office of Governor, 211
Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State 212
Treasurer or Secretary of the State or the district office of state senator 213
or state representative, circulates a petition and obtains the required 214
number of signatures for filing a candidacy for nomination for said 215
office pursuant to section 9-400 and no other candidate for said office at 216 Substitute Bill No. 1533
LCO 8 of 11
the state or district convention either receives the party endorsement or 217
said percentage of said votes for said endorsement or files a certificate 218
of endorsement with the Secretary of the State in accordance with the 219
provisions of section 9-388 or a candidacy with the Secretary of the State 220
in accordance with the provisions of section 9-400, or (iv) the candidate 221
is seeking election to the municipal office of state senator or state 222
representative, circulates a petition and obtains the required number of 223
signatures for filing a candidacy for nomination for the office the 224
candidate is seeking pursuant to section 9-406 and no other candidate 225
for said office at the caucus, convention or town committee meeting 226
either receives the party endorsement or files a certification of 227
endorsement with the town clerk in accordance with the provisions of 228
section 9-391; 229
(B) After any primary held by such party for nomination for said 230
office, if the Secretary of the State declares that the candidate is the party 231
nominee in accordance with the provisions of section 9-440; 232
(C) In the case of a minor party candidate, after the nomination of 233
such candidate is certified and filed with the Secretary of the State 234
pursuant to section 9-452; or 235
(D) In the case of a petitioning party candidate, after approval by the 236
Secretary of the State of such candidate's nominating petition pursuant 237
to section 9-453o. 238
(3) A participating candidate for nomination to the office of state 239
senator or state representative at a special election in 2008, or thereafter, 240
may apply to the State Elections Enforcement Commission for a grant 241
from the fund under the Citizens' Election Program for a general 242
election campaign after the close of the district convention or municipal 243
caucus, convention or town committee meeting of the candidate's party 244
that is called for the purpose of choosing candidates for nomination for 245
the office that the candidate is seeking. 246
(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this 247
subsection, no participating candidate for nomination or election who 248 Substitute Bill No. 1533
LCO 9 of 11
changes the candidate's status as a major party, minor party or 249
petitioning party candidate or becomes a candidate of a different party, 250
after filing the [affidavit required under section 9-703] grant application 251
under this section, shall be eligible to [apply for a grant] receive 252
additional grant funds under the Citizens' Election Program for such 253
candidate's primary campaign for such nomination or general election 254
campaign for such election. The provisions of this subdivision shall not 255
apply in the case of a candidate who is nominated by more than one 256
party and does not otherwise change the candidate's status as a major 257
party, minor party or petitioning party candidate. 258
(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, no candidate 259
may apply to the State Elections Enforcement Commission for a grant 260
from the fund under the Citizens' Election Program if such candidate 261
has been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, in a court of 262
competent jurisdiction, any (A) criminal offense under this title unless 263
at least eight years have elapsed from the date of the conviction or plea 264
or the completion of any sentence, whichever date is later, without a 265
subsequent conviction of or plea to another such offense, or (B) a felony 266
related to the individual's public office, other than an offense under this 267
title in accordance with subparagraph (A) of this subdivision. 268
Sec. 4. Subsection (d) of section 9-706 of the general statutes is 269
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 270
passage): 271
(d) (1) In accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of this 272
section, the commission shall review the application, determine whether 273
[(1)] (A) the candidate committee for the applicant has received the 274
required qualifying contributions, [(2)] (B) in the case of an application 275
for a grant from the fund for a convention campaign, the applicant has 276
met the applicable condition under subsection (a) of this section for 277
applying for such grant and complied with the provisions of subsections 278
(b) and (c) of this section, [(3)] (C) in the case of an application for a grant 279
from the fund for a primary campaign, the applicant has met the 280
applicable condition under subsection (a) of this section for applying for 281 Substitute Bill No. 1533
LCO 10 of 11
such grant and complied with the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) 282
of this section, [(4)] (D) in the case of an application for a grant from the 283
fund for a general election campaign, the applicant has met the 284
applicable condition under subsection (a) of this section for applying for 285
such grant and complied with the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) 286
of this section, and [(5)] (E) in the case of an application by a minor party 287
or petitioning party candidate for a grant from the fund for a general 288
election campaign, the applicant qualifies as an eligible minor party 289
candidate or an eligible petitioning party candidate, whichever is 290
applicable. 291
(2) (A) If the commission approves an application, the commission 292
shall determine the amount of the grant payable to the candidate 293
committee for the applicant pursuant to section 9-705 from the fund, and 294
notify the State Comptroller and the candidate of such candidate 295
committee of such amount. 296
(B) (i) If the timing of the commission's approval of the grant for a 297
convention campaign in relation to the commission's consumer price 298
index adjustment under subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of section 9-299
705 is such that the commission cannot yet determine the final amount 300
of the convention campaign grant, the commission shall approve the 301
unadjusted initial amount. The commission shall then authorize the 302
payment of any remaining portion of the convention campaign grant 303
after such adjustment has been made. 304
(ii) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (B)(i) of this 305
subdivision, the candidate committee of an applicant who submits an 306
application prior to July 3, 2025, shall only be approved by the 307
commission to receive payment of the unadjusted amount described in 308
said subparagraph. 309
(C) If the timing of the commission's approval of the grant for a 310
primary campaign or general election campaign in relation to the 311
Secretary of the State's determination of ballot status is such that the 312
commission cannot determine whether the qualified candidate 313 Substitute Bill No. 1533
LCO 11 of 11
committee is entitled to the applicable full initial grant for the primary 314
or election or the applicable partial grant for the primary or election, as 315
the case may be, the commission shall approve the lesser applicable 316
partial initial grant. The commission shall then authorize the payment 317
of the remaining portion of the applicable primary campaign or general 318
election campaign grant after the commission has knowledge of the 319
circumstances regarding the ballot status of the opposing candidates in 320
such primary or election. 321
(D) Not later than thirty days following notification by the 322
commission in the case of a convention campaign grant, or not later than 323
two business days following notification by the commission in the case 324
of any other grant, the State Comptroller shall draw an order on the 325
State Treasurer for payment of any such approved amount to the 326
qualified candidate committee from the fund. 327
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 from passage 9-601(25)
Sec. 2 July 1, 2025 9-704(b) and (c)
Sec. 3 January 1, 2028 9-706(a)
Sec. 4 from passage 9-706(d)
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
Section 4(d)(2)(B)(i) was rewritten for clarity; and in Section
4(d)(2)(B)(ii), "lesser amount" was changed to "unadjusted amount" for
accuracy.
GAE Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO