PRINTER'S NO. 2995
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
50
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY SANTARSIERO, PASHINSKI, THOMAS, BRIGGS, GALLOWAY,
MURT, FREEMAN, O'BRIEN, SCHLOSSBERG, KAVULICH, GIBBONS,
D. MILLER, MAHONEY, HARHAI, D. COSTA, MULLERY, COHEN,
FRANKEL, McNEILL, DeLUCA, GOODMAN AND DEAN, MARCH 18, 2016
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 18, 2016
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
"An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,
primary and election expenses and election contests; creating
and defining membership of county boards of elections;
imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;
imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,
revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and
repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to
elections," in primary and election expenses, providing for
limitations on certain contributions.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known
as the Pennsylvania Election Code, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 1627.1. Limitations on Certain Contributions.--
(a) No individual shall make contributions:
(1) To a candidate, or the candidate's political committee,
which, in the aggregate, exceed two thousand seven hundred
dollars ($2,700) per election.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
(2) To a single political action committee which, in the
aggregate, exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) per calendar
year.
(3) To a single political party committee which, in the
aggregate, exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per calendar
year.
(b) No political action committee with more than 50
contributors and which has made contributions to five or more
candidates for public office of this Commonwealth shall make
contributions:
(1) To a candidate, or the candidate's political committee,
which, in the aggregate, exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000)
per election.
(2) To a single political action committee which, in the
aggregate, exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) per calendar
year.
(3) To a single political party committee which, in the
aggregate, exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) per calendar
year.
(c) Except for political action committees under subsection
(b), no political action committee shall make contributions:
(1) To a candidate, or the candidate's political committee,
which, in the aggregate, exceed two thousand six hundred dollars
($2,600) per election.
(2) To a single political action committee which, in the
aggregate, exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) per calendar
year.
(3) To a single political party committee which, in the
aggregate, exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per calendar
year.
20160HB0050PN2995 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(d) No political party committee shall make contributions:
(1) To a candidate, or the candidate's political committee,
which, in the aggregate, exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000)
per election.
(2) To a single political action committee which, in the
aggregate, exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) per calendar
year.
(e) No candidate, or the candidate's political committee,
shall make contributions:
(1) To another candidate which, in the aggregate, exceed two
thousand dollars ($2,000) per election.
(2) To a single political action committee which, in the
aggregate, exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) per calendar
year.
(f) No candidate, political action committee or political
party committee shall knowingly accept contributions in
violation of any limitation imposed on contributions under this
section.
(g) The provisions of this section shall be applicable to a
contribution made for the purpose of influencing any election to
all public offices of the Commonwealth except Federal offices.
(h) Aggregate contributions shall include the value of in-
kind contributions.
(i) For purposes of this section, any contribution made to a
candidate in a year other than the calendar year in which the
election is held with respect to which the contribution is made
shall be considered to be made for the next election to be held.
(j) (1) The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall adjust the
limitation on contributions under subsection (a)(1) and (c)(1)
for inflation in each odd-numbered year beginning with the first
20160HB0050PN2995 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
odd-numbered year after the end of the year during which this
section takes effect. The adjustment shall be equal to the
adjustment process applicable to contributions made by
individuals to candidates for Federal office under section
315(c) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (Public Law
92-225, 52 U.S.C. ยง 30116 on the effective date of this section.
(2) Each adjustment shall remain in effect for the two-year
period beginning the first day following the date of the general
election in the even-numbered year preceding the adjustment and
ending on the date of the general election in the even-numbered
year following the adjustment.
(3) The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall publish the
adjustment as a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(k) As used in this section, "political party committee"
shall mean a political committee of any state, county, city,
borough, township, ward or other regularly constituted party
committee of any political party or political body.
Section 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2016, or
immediately, whichever is later.
20160HB0050PN2995 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19