Tim Burns (HB 1079) Act No. 838
Existing law (Campaign Finance Disclosure Law) requires political committees, candidates,
and other persons to file reports disclosing contributions, expenditures, receipts,
disbursements, and other specified information.
Existing law (R.S. 18:1505.2(I)) permits a candidate or a political committee to expend
campaign contributions for any lawful purpose, but prohibits the use, loan, or pledging of
such funds by any person for personal use unrelated to a political campaign, the holding of
a public office or party position, or, in the case of a political committee other than a
candidate's principal campaign committee or subsidiary committee, the administrative costs
or operating expenses of the political committee. Provides that excess campaign funds may
be returned to contributors on a pro rata basis; given as a charitable contribution as provided
in federal law (26 U.S.C. 170(c)); given to a charitable organization as defined in federal law
(26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)); expended in support of or in opposition to a proposition, political
party, or candidacy of any person; or maintained in a segregated fund for use in future
political campaigns or activity related to preparing for future candidacy to elective office.
Existing law prohibits campaign funds from being used to pay a fine, fee, or penalty imposed
pursuant to the Code of Governmental Ethics and prohibits a candidate from using campaign
funds to make any payment or expenditure to an immediate family member, with specified
exceptions. Existing law does not apply to campaign funds received prior to July 15, 1988.
Existing law (R.S. 18:1491.7(B)(13) and 1495.5(B)(12)) relative to the disclosure of
expenditures, requires that the amount, purpose, and date of each such expenditure be
reported and requires that political committees include the name and address of and office
sought by candidates on whose behalf each such expenditure was made.
New law relative to the purpose of the expenditure, additionally requires that a description
of the purpose as it relates to the expenditure be reported.
Effective Jan. 1, 2015.
(Amends R.S. 18:1491.7(B)(13) and 1495.5(B)(12))