Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB635

Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 11/8/23
• Refer: 11/8/23
• Failed: 4/15/24

Caption

The definition of political action committee for campaign finance purposes.

Impact

The legislation aims to enhance voter transparency and campaign finance accountability by capturing a broader range of organizations as PACs, thereby imposing requirements on entities that engage in significant political spending. By lowering the threshold for what defines a PAC, the bill could lead to increased regulation and oversight of political expenditures, which proponents argue is necessary to prevent excess influence from anonymous donations and to ensure fair electoral competition. This could reshape the campaign funding landscape in Wisconsin, as more organizations will be required to disclose their financial activities.

Summary

Assembly Bill 635 (AB635) seeks to redefine the criteria for what constitutes a political action committee (PAC) in the context of campaign finance in Wisconsin. Under this bill, a PAC includes any organization or entity (excluding individuals) that spends over $1,000 within a 12-month period on expenditures related to express advocacy, supporting or opposing referendums, or contributing to candidate committees or political parties. This proposed changes are significant as they shift the baseline for identifying PACs from an existing standard that considered not only spending on advocacy but also the primary purpose of the organization.

Contention

Despite its intentions, AB635 has sparked debates among lawmakers and advocacy groups. Supporters advocate for the bill as a means to mitigate the risks associated with large sums of undisclosed money influencing politics. However, opponents raise concerns that the new definition could overly restrict or burden smaller organizations or community groups that may not have the substantial funding capacity to meet the reporting requirements. Critics suggest that these changes could inadvertently discourage political participation at a grassroots level, which is contrary to the bill's goals of promoting transparent and equitable elections.