New York S 8613: Regulates an artificial person's contributions towards election activity and ballot-issue activity

Bill Text

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S08613 Summary:

BILL NOS08613 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A09233

&nbsp

SPONSORGONZALEZ

&nbsp

COSPNSRBOTTCHER, HINCHEY, MAY, MYRIE

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §202, BC L

&nbsp

Regulates an artificial person's contributions towards election and ballot-issue activity; provides limitations on the general powers of a corporation.

Go to top S08613 Actions:

BILL NOS08613 

&nbsp

12/12/2025REFERRED TO RULES

01/07/2026REFERRED TO ELECTIONS

Go to topS08613 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS08613 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS08613 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 8613

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 December 12, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. GONZALEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules

 AN ACT to amend the business corporation law, in relation to regulating
 an artificial person's contributions towards election and ballot-issue
 activity

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The opening paragraph of paragraph (a) of section 202 of
 2 the business corporation law is amended and a new paragraph (c) is added
 3 to read as follows:
 4 Each corporation, subject to any limitations provided in this chapter
 5 including those enumerated in paragraph (c) of this section or any other
 6 statute of this state or its certificate of incorporation, shall have
 7 power in furtherance of its corporate purposes:
 8 (c) Definitions. (1) The following definitions shall be applicable to
 9 the provisions of this section.
 10 (A) "Artificial person" means every entity whose existence or limited
 11 liability shield is conferred by New York state law, including, without
 12 limitation:
 13 (i) business corporations;
 14 (ii) nonprofit corporations, whether public-benefit, mutual-benefit,
 15 or religious;
 16 (iii) limited liability companies;
 17 (iv) unincorporated associations, limited liability partnerships,
 18 statutory trusts, professional corporations, cooperatives, and any
 19 successor form; and
 20 (v) foreign entities that are authorized to transact business, are
 21 otherwise transacting business, or hold property in the state of New
 22 York. Any foreign entity that directly or indirectly undertakes,
 23 finances, or directs election activity or ballot-issue activity in the

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD13964-01-5

 S. 8613 2

 1 state of New York shall be conclusively deemed to be transacting busi-
 2 ness in this state.
 3 (B) "Election activity" means paying, contributing, or expending money
 4 or anything of value to support or oppose a candidate, political party,
 5 or political committee. "Election activity" does not include any bona
 6 fide news story, commentary, or editorial distributed through the facil-
 7 ities of any broadcasting station, or of any print, online, or digital
 8 newspaper, magazine, blog, or other periodical publication, unless such
 9 broadcasting, print, online, or digital facilities are owned or
 10 controlled by a political party, political committee, or candidate.
 11 (C) "Ballot-issue activity" means paying, contributing, or expending
 12 money or anything of value to support or oppose a ballot question or
 13 initiative. "Ballot-issue activity" does not include any bona fide news
 14 story, commentary, or editorial distributed through the facilities of
 15 any broadcasting station, or of any print, online, or digital newspaper,
 16 magazine, blog, or other periodical publication, unless such broadcast-
 17 ing, print, online, or digital facilities are owned or controlled by a
 18 political party, political committee, or candidate.
 19 (D) "Artificial person powers" means powers necessary or convenient to
 20 carry out lawful business or charitable purposes, excluding any power to
 21 directly or indirectly engage in election activity or ballot-issue
 22 activity.
 23 (E) "Charter privilege" means any benefit to artificial persons that
 24 exists only because the state of New York confers it, such as, without
 25 limitation, limited liability, perpetual duration, succession i