SENATE Substitute for HOUSE BILL No. 2054
AN ACT concerning elections; relating to campaign contribution limits; increasing the
limits on certain campaign contributions; amending K.S.A. 25-4153 and repealing the
existing section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. K.S.A. 25-4153 is hereby amended to read as follows:
25-4153. (a) The aggregate amount contributed to a candidate and such
candidate's candidate committee and to all party committees and
political committees and dedicated to such candidate's campaign, by
any political committee or any person except a party committee, the
candidate or the candidate's spouse, shall not exceed the following:
(1) For the pair of offices of governor and lieutenant governor or
for other state officers elected from the state as a whole, $2,000 $4,000
for each primary election (, or in lieu thereof, a caucus or convention of
a political party), and an equal amount for each general election.
(2) For the office of member of the house of representatives,
district judge, district magistrate judge, district attorney or a candidate
for local office whose jurisdiction has a population that is fewer than
50,000, $500 $1,000 for each primary election (, or in lieu thereof, a
caucus or convention of a political party), and an equal amount for each
general election.
(3) For the office of state senator or, member of the state board of
education or a candidate for local office whose jurisdiction has a
population that is 50,000 or more, $1,000 $2,000 for each primary
election (, or in lieu thereof, a caucus or convention of a political
party), and an equal amount for each general election.
(b) For the purposes of this section, the face value of a loan at the
end of the period of time allocable to the primary or general election is
the amount subject to the limitations of this section. A loan in excess of
the limits herein provided may be made during the allocable period if
such loan is reduced to the permissible level, when combined with all
other contributions from the person making such loan, at the end of
such allocable period.
(c) For the purposes of this section, all contributions made by
unemancipated children under 18 years of age shall be considered to be
contributions made by the parent or parents of such children. The total
amount of such contribution shall be attributed to a single custodial
parent and 50% of such contribution to each of two parents.
(d) The aggregate amount contributed to a state party committee
by a person other than a national party committee or a political
committee shall not exceed $15,000 in each calendar year; and the
aggregate amount contributed to any other party committee by a person
other than a national party committee or a political committee shall not
exceed $5,000 in each calendar year.
The aggregate amount contributed by a national party committee to
a state party committee shall not exceed $25,000 in any calendar year,
and the aggregate amount contributed to any other party committee by
a national party committee shall not exceed $10,000 in any calendar
year.
The aggregate amount contributed to a party committee by a
political committee shall not exceed $5,000 in any calendar year.
(e) (1) The aggregate amount contributed to a party committee,
as defined in K.S.A. 25-4143(j)(1), (4) or (5), and amendments thereto,
by a person other than a party committee shall not exceed $35,000 in
each calendar year.
(2) The aggregate amount contributed by a national party
committee to a party committee, as defined in K.S.A. 25-4143(j)(1), (4)
or (5), and amendments thereto, shall not exceed $35,000 in any
calendar year.
(3) The aggregate amount contributed to any party committee, as SENATE Substitute for HOUSE BILL No. 2054—page 2
defined in K.S.A. 25-4143(j)(2) or (6), and amendments thereto, by a
person other than a party committee shall not exceed $10,000 in each
calendar year.
(4) The aggregate amount contributed by a national party
committee to any party committee, as defined in K.S.A. 25-4143(j)(2)
or (6), and amendments thereto, shall not exceed $10,000 in any
calendar year.
(e) The amount contributed by each individual party committee of
the same political party, other than a national party committee, to any
candidate for office for any primary election at which two or more
candidates are seeking the nomination of such party shall not exceed
the following:
(1) For the pair of offices of governor and lieutenant governor
and for each of the other state officers elected from the state as a
whole, $4,000 for each primary election, or in lieu thereof, a caucus or
convention of a political party.
(2) For the office of member of the house of representatives,
district judge, district magistrate judge, district attorney or a candidate
for local office whose jurisdiction has a population that is fewer than
50,000, $1,000 for each primary election, or in lieu thereof, a caucus
or convention of a political party.
(3) For the office of state senator, member of the state board of
education or a candidate for local office whose jurisdiction has a
population that is 50,000 or more, $2,000 for each primary election, or
in lieu thereof, a caucus or convention of a political party.
(f) No expenditures made by a party committee in support of a
candidate, with or without such candidate's cooperation or consent,
shall constitute a contribution.
(g) No person shall make any contribution or contributions to any
candidate or the candidate committee of any candidate in the form of
money or currency of the United States that in the aggregate exceeds
$200 for any one primary or general election. No candidate or
candidate committee of any candidate shall accept any contribution or
contributions in the form of money or currency of the United States that
in the aggregate exceeds $200 from any one person for any one
primary or general election.
(h) (1) If a candidate or a candidate's candidate committee
receives contributions prior to the date of the primary election and
such contributions are designated for use in connection with the
general election, such candidate or such committee shall use an
acceptable accounting method to distinguish between contributions
received for the primary election and contributions received for the
general election. Acceptable accounting methods include, but are not
limited to:
(A) The designation of separate accounts for each election; or
(B) the establishment of separate books and records for each
election.
(2) Under any acceptable accounting method, the authorized
records of a candidate or candidate committee shall demonstrate that,
prior to the primary election, the recorded amount of cash on hand was
at all times equal to or in excess of an amount equal to the sum of the
contributions received and designated for use in connection with the
general election less the sum of disbursements made for the general
election.
(i) For purposes of this section, "jurisdiction" means:
(1) The city, county or school district if the candidate is seeking
election to a local office that is elected at large in such city, county or
school district; and
(2) the electoral district if the candidate is seeking election as a
member of a governing body that has member districts.
(j) Any political funds which that have been collected and were
not subject to the reporting requirements of this act shall be deemed a
person subject to these contribution limitations.
(f)(k) Any political funds which that have been collected and were SENATE Substitute for HOUSE BILL No. 2054—page 3
subject to the reporting requirements of the campaign finance act shall
not be used in or for the campaign of a candidate for a federal elective
office.
(g) The amount contributed by each individual party committee of
the same political party other than a national party committee to any
candidate for office, for any primary election at which two or more
candidates are seeking the nomination of such party shall not exceed
the following:
(1) For the pair of offices of governor and lieutenant governor and
for each of the other state officers elected from the state as a whole,
$2,000 for each primary election (or in lieu thereof a caucus or
convention of a political party).
(2) For the office of member of the house of representatives,
district judge, district magistrate judge, district attorney or a candidate
for local office, $500 for each primary election (or in lieu thereof a
caucus or convention of a political party).
(3) For the office of state senator or member of the state board of
education, $1,000 for each primary election (or in lieu thereof a caucus
or convention of a political party).
(h) When a candidate for a specific cycle does not run for office,
the contribution limitations of this section shall apply as though the
individual had sought office.
(i) No person shall make any contribution or contributions to any
candidate or the candidate committee of any candidate in the form of
money or currency of the United States which in the aggregate exceeds
$100 for any one primary or general election, and No candidate or
candidate committee of any candidate shall accept any contribution or
contributions in the form of money or currency of the United States
which in the aggregate exceeds $100 from any one person for any one
primary or general election.
Sec. 2. K.S.A. 25-4153 is hereby repealed.
Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the Kansas register.
I hereby certify that the above BILL originated in the HOUSE, and was
adopted by that body
HOUSE adopted
Conference Committee Report
Speaker of the House.
Chief Clerk of the House.
Passed the SENATE
as amended
SENATE adopted
Conference Committee Report
President of the Senate.
Secretary of the Senate.
APPROVED
Governor.