No. HB 361
Filed under Elections.
Use of Campaign Funds for Campaign-related Child Care Expenses; Defines "campaign-related child care expenses" & "eligible child care provider"; authorizes candidate to use funds on deposit in his or her campaign account to pay for campaign-related child care expenses under specified conditions; requires candidate to maintain specified records for specified timeframe & provide such records to Division of Elections upon request; requires candidate to disclose use of campaign funds for campaign-related child care expenses in his or her regular campaign finance reports.
Plain English Summary
AI-GENERATEDCandidates can now dip into their campaign account to cover child care that exists only because of campaign work, like paying a sitter while canvassing, attending a debate, or meeting donors. The cost must not exist but for the campaign.
Personal errands or everyday child care unrelated to the campaign still cannot be paid for this way. Candidates must keep receipts and event details for at least three years and hand them over to the Division of Elections on request.
Every child care payment made this way must also show up, with the amount and date, in the candidate's regular campaign finance reports, so it becomes part of the public record like any other expenditure.
AIDespite the general ban on using campaign funds for a candidate's normal living expenses, a candidate may now pay campaign-related child care costs from the campaign account, but only if the expense would not exist without the campaign.
AICampaign funds still cannot pay for child care needed for personal errands or everyday care unrelated to campaign activity; only child care that exists specifically because of the campaign qualifies.
AIA candidate must maintain receipts or invoices from the child care provider, along with proof of payment, and provide them to the Division of Elections on request, keeping them for at least three years after the campaign ends.
AIA candidate must disclose any use of campaign funds for campaign-related child care in their regular campaign finance reports, listing the specific amounts and dates of each expense.