LouisianaHB 6932025 Regular SessionHouse

CAMPAIGN FINANCE: Provides for revisions to the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act (EN +$97,000 GF EX See Note)

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

52 provisions identified: 20 benefits, 15 costs, 17 mixed.

Accused campaign filers gain legal protections

Campaign-finance rules must be read narrowly and strictly. When the law is unclear, the interpretation must favor the person accused of a violation. Enforcement agencies receive no special deference for their interpretations.

Campaign committees gain more investment options

Campaign committee chairs can hold campaign money in certificates of deposit or U.S. Treasury securities. Money market mutual funds remain an option.

Campaign filers gain reporting flexibility

Required annual and supplemental reports move from February 15 to February 28, covering activity through December 31. Candidates who are not elected officials are exempt from the specified balance reports when their final surplus or deficit is under $5,000. Otherwise, balance reporting generally continues for five years or until no surplus or deficit remains. Political committees, including principal and subsidiary campaign committees, and independent spending committees can choose monthly reports with 45 days' written notice before the next regular deadline. Reports are due by the next month's 15th for months with receipts or spending, starting no later than the month after notice; election-period reports still apply.

Campaign filers protected during forms update

Campaign filers can use existing forms until updated forms are available. The supervisory committee cannot find violations for newly required information missing from those existing forms. The law sets January 15, 2026, as the deadline for updated forms, instructions, and explanations. This transition protection took effect when the act became law.

Campaign money cannot cover personal bills

Campaign spending on household food or supplies, certain funeral costs, most clothing, unrelated tuition, and certain club costs is presumed personal. Personal use is prohibited. Candidates, officials, or committees can overcome that presumption by showing the spending was more likely than not nonpersonal. Exceptions cover specified campaign clothing, staff-training tuition, campaign-related death expenses, and qualifying fundraising, committee, or constituent-related organization costs.

Campaign respondents can answer investigation findings

Before starting administrative proceedings to collect civil penalties, the Supervisory Committee must give respondents the final staff investigation report. Respondents can submit a brief reply and make a brief statement in person, by phone, or by video. The statement occurs in a private executive session unless the respondent requests an open session. Statements made in executive session are not recorded.

Church communications receive campaign disclosure protections

Communications by churches recognized for federal tax purposes do not count as campaign spending unless they expressly support or oppose a specific candidate. The campaign-finance law does not require churches to disclose members' identities, donations, or contributions.

Donors get longer to cash refunds

Candidates and covered campaign, political, and leadership committees must return contributions above legal limits by campaign-account check. Donors have 12 months to cash these checks before the money is presumed abandoned, up from six months. The money must then enter the unclaimed-property system by February 28 of the calendar year after abandonment.

Fewer reports for dissolved campaign committees

The deficit threshold for dissolved committees' supplemental reports rises from $2,500 to $5,000. Committees below $5,000 do not need these reports. Those with deficits of $5,000 or more report annually for five years, or until reporting no deficit or surplus. After that period, a new contribution or outstanding debt or loan repayment triggers a report by the following February 28.

Governor transition teams gain filing relief

Annual reports for governor transition and inauguration funds move from February 15 to February 28. Reports cover activity through January 31 and continue until all contributions are spent or used. The governor's full report remains due by the 60th day after inauguration. Contracting, working, or volunteering for a transition or inauguration does not alone make someone a public servant under state ethics law.

Higher filing thresholds for campaigns

Candidates outside major and district offices must report when spending or contributions exceed $5,000 during the aggregating period. Their own contributions do not count toward the contribution trigger. Committees can conduct up to $1,000 in combined yearly financial activity before filing an organization statement, up from $500. Committees expecting to exceed $1,000 must file an annual statement before crossing that amount.

Higher reporting thresholds for ballot campaigns

Campaigns supporting or opposing ballot questions or recalls must report when aggregate financial activity reaches $5,000. For proposition elections, special reports apply from 20 days before the election through election day. Covered contributions, loans, and transfers must be reported within 48 hours. Spending triggers that report when it exceeds $5,000, replacing a lower spending threshold.

Higher thresholds for small campaign gifts

The covered value threshold for noncash gifts and services rises from over $25 to over $50; successive small donations count together. Campaign-material purchases count toward specified election contribution limits when they exceed $50, up from $25. Single raffle-ticket or campaign-item sales up to $50 can avoid buyer-by-buyer records when a political committee receives and deposits proceeds. Committees must still report total proceeds and cannot split sales to avoid reporting. A single campaign-item sale to an unknown buyer is not an anonymous contribution when it totals no more than $50.

Less disclosure for small payroll donations

Committees must identify payroll-deduction or dues donors whose yearly gifts exceed $25, up from $5. Committees supporting multiple candidates or issues can report donor names and addresses annually after receiving over 10,000 such contributions. This option requires that no donor gives over $50 that year. The annual report is due February 28.

Members gain protection from forced donations

Organizations cannot require a political contribution as a condition of membership or participation. This protects against required donations to influence elections, ballot questions, or recalls. Political committees and independent expenditure-only committees are excluded from this rule.

More safeguards in campaign finance investigations

The supervisory committee needs a two-thirds membership vote to find probable cause and must explain allegations and legal rights. It must notify complainants and named respondents when it finds no probable cause or ends proceedings. Subpoenas and written questions must justify their production burden; recipients generally get 30 days to respond or object. Respondents receive witness investigative materials, and oral examinations require agreed arrangements for location, counsel, recording, and transcript access. Courts can protect against undue burdens, including awarding costs and lawyer fees; special candidate-inquiry protections and monthly subpoena-count reporting also apply.

Political committees gain fundraising flexibility

Anyone not barred by law, including candidates and elected officials, can solicit contributions for a committee; the committee must report them. The party-contribution exception also covers committees designated to receive funds for a recognized party's state central committee, including joint fundraising. Political committees can qualify for specified higher contribution limits with more than 250 members on the prior December 31. At least 250 members must each have given $50 during the preceding year, down from $100.

Simpler records for small campaign sales

Treasurers need not keep individual transaction records for campaign merchandise or raffle-ticket sales of $50 or less. The previous limit was $25. For qualifying merchandise sales, candidates can record the total received and deposited and identify it as sale proceeds.

Small campaigns gain simpler filing options

Qualifying committees and major- or district-office candidates can file a sworn statement instead of each required campaign report. No contribution during the reporting period can exceed $500, and total spending cannot exceed $10,000. The prior limits were $200 per contribution and $5,000 in spending. A separate sworn statement replaces each report.

Some out-of-state groups avoid Louisiana reporting

The committee definition covers legal entities and groups of at least two people mainly making political contributions or expenditures. Groups supporting candidates in other states can qualify for an exception from specified Louisiana recordkeeping and reporting duties. Less than 50% of their reporting-period receipts must come from Louisiana candidates or committees formed to support them. Less than 50% of their spending must support or oppose Louisiana candidates, and that spending cannot exceed $50,000.

Annual and four-year political donation caps

A person's gifts to a leadership or covered political committee are capped at $100,000 yearly and $250,000 per four-year period. Recognized political parties and their designated fundraising committees have caps of $250,000 yearly and $400,000 per person per four-year period. The four-year periods start January 1, 2023, and every fourth year afterward. Exceptions cover specified national-party transfers to affiliated committees designated to receive funds for a state central committee. Gifts made by recognized parties or their designated committees on behalf of a state central committee are also exempt.

Campaign ads require consent from sponsors

Rules for ads claiming payment by a candidate or political committee now cover committees more broadly. Someone else cannot pay for such an ad without the named candidate's or committee's consent. If another source pays, the publisher or broadcaster must obtain written confirmation of knowledge and consent before publication or broadcast.

Campaign canvassing payments require worker records

People paying canvassers for covered candidates or committees must give the campaign each paid worker’s full name and address. This applies regardless of the amount paid. For canvassing expenditures of at least $600, payers must also record the recipient’s last four Social Security number digits. They must keep those digits in writing for six years or provide them to the candidate or committee.

Campaign officials face stronger financial penalties

Candidates, treasurers, and committee chairs face penalties for covered violations: up to $5,000 or the violation amount, whichever is greater. Knowing and willful violations carry up to $10,000 or twice the violation amount, whichever is greater. This includes conduct avoidable through due diligence. Independent spending committees also face penalties for knowingly missing report deadlines, including liability for treasurers or chairs. Ballot-question-only and recall-only committees face $40 daily, capped at $1,000; candidate-focused committees outside candidates' own committees face $200 daily, capped at $3,000.

Campaigns face tighter funding source rules

People cannot give money, supplies, materials, or loans for candidates or committees through another person or in another person's name. An exception covers member or stockholder dues and fees paid to qualifying groups not mainly formed to influence elections. Candidates and committees cannot spend anonymous funds; anonymous contributions they receive and deposit must be reported and paid to the state. The anonymous-contribution recipient rule no longer lists other people required to file reports. Candidates, committees, and others also cannot knowingly and willfully use funds obtained through prohibited practices; those contributions must be reported and paid to the state.

Campaigns face tighter management rules

Candidates can name only one principal campaign committee and must file their written choice within 10 days. Candidates can serve as treasurer or appoint one, but cannot appoint deputies; the next report must list the treasurer's name and address. Committee chairs and treasurers must provide and keep required financial records. Committees that filed annual organization statements must clear debts and distribute remaining funds before filing to close. Closing requires a certified statement, a financial report, and confirmation that committee status or financial activity is ending.

Campaigns must disclose more funding details

Campaign contributions include value given to committees, candidates, or others to fund election, ballot-question, or recall spending. Contributions before or after an election count, and coordinated spending for a candidate counts as a contribution. Committees must explain the source and nature of otherwise unlisted receipts, including refunds of overpayments or excess contributions. People using borrowed money for contributions, loans, or transfers to candidates, campaign committees, or leadership committees must identify the lender. Recipients must report both the giver and the source of the money.

Covered donors face candidate funding restrictions

People subject to the law's Subsection L donor restrictions cannot give, lend, or transfer money to specified candidate committees. The ban includes principal, subsidiary, and leadership committees, plus political committees supporting or opposing candidates. A retained exception permits gifts to a segregated account of an affiliated political-party committee organized in another jurisdiction. Before giving, the donor must expressly request that the money not support or oppose Louisiana candidates or candidate committees.

Dollar thresholds define covered political committees

Certain organizations count as political committees when annual loans received or made exceed $1,000. Direct payments for campaign-related personal services above $1,000 also trigger this status. Political party committees count when annual contributions or spending exceed $2,500. These thresholds determine which groups face campaign-finance duties.

Election reporting calendars cover more committees

General-election reporting periods begin the day after the primary election. Court-ordered new general-election periods begin the day after judgment; periods for elections under R.S. 18:512 begin after the general election. The law extends election-period start rules to participating principal campaign, political, and independent expenditure-only committees. That extension covers second party primaries and the listed general elections, effective when Act No. 640 of 2024 takes effect.

Foreign funding limits reach nonprofit spending

Foreign nationals cannot give or promise election, ballot, recall, committee, or governor-transition and inauguration contributions; others cannot solicit or accept them. The definition includes specified foreign-adversary nationals and entities, state-sponsor-of-terrorism nationals, and designated foreign terrorist organizations. Section 501 tax-exempt groups cannot make covered political contributions or expenditures after exceeding either foreign-funding threshold. Those thresholds are over $100,000 or over 20% of total contributions in the current or prior calendar year. Recipients of prohibited nonprofit contributions must pay the amount, or an equal amount, to the state within 10 business days after notice.

Larger covered filers must report online

Covered filers must use Louisiana's Board of Ethics online system for required campaign reports. This applies when annual contributions or loans received exceed $50,000, or annual spending exceeds $50,000. Candidates, their principal and subsidiary campaign committees, and recognized political parties' political committees are excluded from this requirement. Failure to file electronically carries a $500 daily penalty until filing.

Officials must return prohibited campaign gifts

During regular legislative sessions, legislators and their principal and subsidiary committees cannot accept campaign contributions, loans, transfers, or in-kind gifts. Funds accepted or deposited against this rule must be returned within 10 days. The governor must also return funds violating the applicable restriction within 10 days, including funds handled by principal or subsidiary committees. Officials can still make their own campaign expenditures and fund their own committees; legislators' permitted self-funding also includes leadership committees.

Officials’ leadership committees face spending limits

A leadership committee must register and be designated by an elected official, separately from that official’s principal campaign committee. It cannot spend to support that official’s candidacy or oppose an opponent, and only specifically authorized spending is allowed. After any month with receipts or spending, it must report by the next month’s 15th day. Reports must name the elected official linked to the committee.

Organizations must approve campaign spending

Corporations, labor organizations, and trade, business, or professional associations must specifically authorize campaign contributions and spending. Approval must come through the applicable governing body, officer, board-designated person, or membership vote. These groups must pay by check unless the contribution or spending is noncash.

Campaign disclosure thresholds and coverage change

During the 20 days before and through election day, participating committees disclose donor names and addresses above office-based thresholds. These are $2,000 for major offices, $1,000 for district offices, and $500 for other offices; the lowest applicable threshold controls. Covered spending to candidates, committees, or report-filing people who make endorsements must be itemized above $500, up from $200. Reports include recipient, amount, date, purpose, and any noncash description and value; election rules also cover applicable second party primaries. Noncandidate, noncommittee spenders must report covered spending other than payments to candidates or committees; receiving contributions alone no longer triggers this clause.

Campaign funds gain uses, not personal spending

Candidate and committee funds can support lawful ballot-question, recall, transition, inauguration, lobbying, social or issue advocacy, and operating costs. Permitted uses also include support for tax-exempt organizations and independent expenditure-only committees. Candidate funds can support elections, other candidates or committees, public-office or party work, and campaign-finance fines, fees, or penalties. Leftover funds can support future campaigns or other allowed uses; segregated carry-forward funds count as the original donor's contribution to the next campaign. Candidates and their principal or subsidiary committees cannot use, lend, or pledge contributions for personal use by candidates or immediate family.

Campaign penalties consider history and intent

Boards and courts setting civil penalties must consider past violations, undisclosed or late-reported amounts relative to total contributions, and election effects. People assessed fines, fees, or penalties can pay with personal money or qualifying candidate, principal campaign, or leadership committee contributions. The supervisory committee can ban campaign-fund payment when a violation is intentional or egregious.

Campaign spending permissions retain purchase limits

Allowed nonpersonal expenses include specified political and professional events, reasonable security, campaign-interest taxes, replacement campaign items, and campaign or office reimbursements. Structural security devices must serve security alone, not improve property or increase its value. Candidate-loan interest cannot exceed the judicial interest rate when the loan was made. Candidates and listed committees cannot buy real estate or motor vehicles with contributions, loans, or transferred funds; trailers are excluded. That purchase ban no longer covers every other campaign-report filer.

Campaign vendor reporting gains new thresholds

Spending by public relations firms, ad agencies, or agents for a committee counts as committee spending and must be reported. These providers must supply needed records on time or risk a civil claim for damages. Candidates and committees can list the intermediary for spending under $5,000, but must name the actual payee for $5,000 or more. Committees must also identify supported candidates by name, address, and office sought. Leadership committees are exempt from that candidate-identification rule.

Campaigns can fundraise together with safeguards

Registered committees can raise money together under a written agreement signed before fundraising starts. The agreement must name a representative, explain how funds are split, and meet the law’s 10-day filing deadline. The organization statement must identify joint-fundraising status and list each participating group’s name and mailing address. Solicitations must explain participants, allocations, and distribution limits; donations remain subject to contribution limits and recipients’ legal eligibility. Donors can direct allocations, and reallocations that exceed contribution limits require donor consent.

Candidate networks share campaign contribution limits

Specified contribution limits cover candidates and their principal, subsidiary, and leadership committees across all election reporting periods, including supplemental periods. The relevant limits also cover contributions accepted from leadership, political, or principal campaign committees. Candidates' own contributions to their campaign or leadership committees are exempt from these limits; recognized parties and state central committees are excluded. Any committee can give a leadership committee no more than $25,000 per calendar year. For leadership committees supporting or opposing candidates for different offices, the highest applicable limit applies.

Earlier election donations face leftover limits

Candidates and their campaign committees can accept primary- or general-election gifts designated in writing or through properly noticed joint fundraising. When Act No. 640 of 2024 takes effect, candidates can accept written election-designated gifts before earlier elections, without the prior cash-on-hand test. They must track each election's funds separately through an acceptable accounting method. If a candidate enters the first election but skips a later one, money designated for that later election becomes excess funds. It can be legally redesignated or spent, but cannot support ballot measures, parties, or other candidates, or fund future campaigns.

Family payment limits cover leadership committees

Campaign-payment restrictions involving immediate family now also cover elected officials and their leadership committees. Candidates and their principal and subsidiary committees remain covered. The law retains an exception for genuine campaign-service payments through family-owned businesses. It also allows transfers to family members who are candidates or elected officials, or to their principal, subsidiary, or leadership committees.

Fewer reporting triggers for advocacy spending

The ballot-measure participation threshold rises from $250 to $500 for soliciting or receiving contributions or making expenditures. For people who are not candidates or committees, the covered advocacy-spending reporting threshold rises from $500 to above $1,000. It covers messages expressly supporting or opposing candidates, recalls, or ballot questions, and messages reasonably understood only that way. A separate expenditure-reporting rule for statements lacking full sponsor details now covers candidate statements, not proposition statements.

Higher cash limit for campaign donors

The cash contribution limit rises from $100 to $200 per donor, per candidate or committee, each calendar year. Each cash gift needs a signed receipt showing the donor's name and address. The money must be returned if the donor refuses identification or a signature. Contributions above $200, except noncash gifts, require a payment instrument naming the donor and recipient.

Higher donation limits for losing campaigns

A $20,000 contribution limit applies to specified unsuccessful major-office and party-primary candidates who do not enter the designated later elections. Political committees’ limit for these candidates rises from $10,000 to $20,000. These limits apply during a deficit period for spending through the primary or closed party primary day. Certified committees’ limit rises from $20,000 to $40,000 for specified unsuccessful major-office candidates not entering a second party primary or general election. That limit covers deficits through the later party-primary date; these provisions take effect with Act No. 640 of 2024.

Higher election-period reporting thresholds for campaigns

Special reporting thresholds apply during the 20 days before a primary or general election through election day. Candidates must report accepted contributions or loans above $2,000 for major offices, $1,000 for district offices, and $500 for others. Reporting also applies to payments above $500 to endorsers who are candidates, committees, or other required filers. That payment threshold rises from above $200.

Independent spending groups face candidate limits

Independent expenditure-only committees cannot contribute to state or local candidates or their principal or subsidiary campaign committees. They cannot coordinate spending with those candidates or committees. Their contributions also cannot be used, lent, or pledged for a candidate's or elected official's personal use. These committees are excluded from a separate rule applying candidate-level civil penalties to some noncommittee filers, including those backing multiple candidates.

Leadership committees face strict spending boundaries

Leadership committees must name their affiliated official and certify they will not fund that official's campaign committees or election efforts. They also cannot spend against the official's opponent or recall, or for personal use by the official or immediate family. Permitted uses include holding public office or party position, giving to other candidates or officials' leadership committees, and paying campaign-finance fines, fees, or penalties. Replacing items lost, stolen, or damaged through committee, public-office, or party work does not count as personal use.

Outside spenders face targeted disclosure rules

Filers who are neither candidates nor committees generally do not have to disclose their contributors. When a donor designates money for a covered political purpose, reports must list the donor's name, address, amount, and date. Covered spending over $1,000 during the 20 days before an election through election day requires a report within 48 hours. This fast-report rule covers spending, not contributions. If the deadline falls outside office hours, filing is due as soon as possible after the supervisory committee office next opens.

Political committees gain bounded spending freedom

Political committees can spend contributions for lawful purposes, including elections and gifts to candidate, political, or leadership committees. They cannot use contributions for personal expenses of candidates, elected officials, or their immediate families. They also cannot coordinate spending with candidates or candidate campaign committees. Independent expenditure-only committees can spend contributions for any lawful purpose.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Mark Wright
Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

Gerald "Beau" Beaullieu IV
Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 173 • No: 68

House vote • 6/10/2025

Read by title, roll called, yeas 55, nays 42, Senate amendments concurred in.

Yes: 55 • No: 42

Senate vote • 6/9/2025

Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 31 yeas and 6 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 31 • No: 6

House vote • 5/21/2025

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 77, nays 16. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 77 • No: 16

House vote • 5/15/2025

Read by title, substitute title adopted, lies over in the same order of business, substitute for HB No. 596 reported by the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs

Yes: 10 • No: 4

Actions Timeline

Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 398.
6/20/2025House
Effective date: See Act.
6/20/2025House
Signed by the President of the Senate.
6/12/2025Senate
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
6/12/2025House
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
6/11/2025House
Read by title, roll called, yeas 55, nays 42, Senate amendments concurred in.
6/10/2025House
Rules suspended. Senate floor amendments read and adopted. Read by title, passed by a vote of 31 yeas and 6 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
6/9/2025Senate
Received from the Senate with amendments.
6/9/2025House
Scheduled for concurrence on 06/10/2025.
6/9/2025House
Rules suspended. Recalled from Committee.
6/8/2025Senate
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
6/8/2025Senate
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
6/8/2025Senate
Reported with amendments. Rules suspended. Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title; recommitted to the Committee on Finance.
6/4/2025Senate
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.
5/28/2025Senate
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
5/27/2025Senate
Called from the calendar.
5/21/2025House
Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 77, nays 16. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
5/21/2025House
Read by title, returned to the calendar.
5/20/2025House
Notice given.
5/20/2025House
Scheduled for floor debate on 05/21/2025.
5/20/2025House
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
5/19/2025House
Scheduled for floor debate on 05/20/2025.
5/19/2025House
Read by title, substitute title adopted, lies over in the same order of business, substitute for HB No. 596 reported by the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs (10-4).
5/15/2025House

Bill Text

Engrossed
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Enrolled
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Introduced
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Reengrossed
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