Massachusetts H 845: An Act relative to the campaign finance reporting cycle

Bill Text

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2266 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 845

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Bradley H. Jones, Jr.
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to the campaign finance reporting cycle.
_______________
PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Bradley H. Jones, Jr. 20th Middlesex 1/15/2025
Kimberly N. Ferguson 1st Worcester 1/21/2025
Paul K. Frost 7th Worcester 1/31/2025
Todd M. Smola 1st Hampden 3/10/2025
Kelly W. Pease 4th Hampden 3/24/2025

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2266 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 845
By Representative Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 845) of
Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to the campaign finance reporting cycle. Election
Laws.

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 698 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to the campaign finance reporting cycle.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:

1 Chapter 55 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby
2 amended by striking section 7A, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
3 Section 7A. (a)(1) An individual may make campaign contributions to candidates or
4 candidates’ committees; provided, however, that the aggregate of all such contributions for the
5 benefit of any one candidate and that candidate’s committee shall not exceed the sum of $1,000
6 per election.
7 (2) An individual may in addition make campaign contributions for the benefit of elected
8 political committees or non-elected political committees organized on behalf of a political party;

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9 provided, however, that the aggregate of such campaign contributions for the benefit of the
10 political committees of any one political party shall not exceed the sum of $10,000 per election.
11 (3) An individual may in addition make campaign contributions to any political
12 committee not specified in paragraph (1), (2) or (4); provided, however, that the aggregate of
13 such campaign contributions to any one such political committee shall not exceed the sum of
14 $1,000 per election.
15 (4) An individual may in addition make contributions without limitation to ballot
16 question committees.
17 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the aggregate of all contributions
18 by a legislative or executive agent for the benefit of any one candidate and such candidate’s
19 committee shall not exceed the sum of $200 per election. Notwithstanding any other provision of
20 this chapter, the aggregate of all contributions by a legislative or executive agent to any other
21 political committee, other than a ballot question committee, shall not exceed the sum of $200 per
22 election.
23 (c) The contribution and aggregate amount limits referred to in this section shall be
24 indexed biennially for inflation by the director, who, not later than December thirty-first of each
25 even numbered year beginning with 2026, shall calculate and publish such indexed amount,
26 using the federal consumer price index for the Boston statistical area. Such limits, after being
27 calculated as above, shall be rounded to the nearest $50; provided, that, if such resulting amount
28 is less than $50, the director shall retain a record of the resulting amount, when added to the
29 resulting amount calculated in each even numbered year since the last adjustment was made
30 equals or exceeds $50.

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31 (d) For purposes of the limitations on contributions, a contribution to a designated
32 contribution committee which is forwarded to the designated recipient shall be treated in all
33 respects as a direct contribution from the original contributor to the designated recipient.