Campaign Finance (H 7859B, S 2569A)

The General Assembly passed campaign finance legislation aimed at combatting so-called Super PACs, but which carried serious ramifications for small organizations, including non-profits, which engage in referenda campaigns or even publicly references legislators too close to an election.  The legislation implemented onerous reporting requirements – initially, with the possibility of felony penalties for failure to comply – and mandated public disclosure of the names of an organizations private donors, sometimes for nothing more than thanking a legislator in a newsletter or mentioning their name on a website.  A watered-down version of the legislation passed the General Assembly, but it may still carry a tremendous burden for small organizations seeking nothing more than legitimate advocacy for a cause their donors believe in.