HB 1686: Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign funds; complaints, hearings, civil penalty, and advisory opinions.

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign funds; complaints, hearings, civil penalty, and advisory opinions. Prohibits any person from converting contributions to a candidate or his campaign committee for personal use. Current law only prohibits such conversion of contributions with regard to disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaign or political committee. The bill provides that a contribution is considered to have been converted to personal use if the contribution, in whole or in part, is used to fulfill any commitment, obligation, or expense that would exist irrespective of the person's seeking, holding, or maintaining public office but allows a contribution to be used for the ordinary and accepted expenses related to campaigning for or holding elective office, including the use of campaign funds to pay for the candidate's dependent care expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity. The bill provides that any person subject to the personal use ban may request an advisory opinion from the State Board of Elections on such matters. The bill directs the State Board of Elections to adopt emergency regulations similar to those promulgated by the Federal Election Commission to implement the provisions of the bill and to publish an updated summary of Virginia campaign finance law that reflects the State Board of Elections' and Attorney General's guidance on the provisions of such law that prohibit the personal use of campaign funds and any new regulations promulgated by the State Board of Elections. This bill was incorporated into HB 2165.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 10 · Republican 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. January 24, 2025Incorporated by Privileges and Elections (HB2165-Cole) (Voice Vote)
2. January 22, 2025Subcommittee recommends incorporating into HB2165-Cole (Voice Vote)
3. January 21, 2025Assigned PE sub: Campaign Finance
4. January 17, 2025Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1686)
5. January 10, 2025Impact statement from VCSC (HB1686)
6. January 3, 2025Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
7. January 3, 2025Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25101199D