What's happening
This bill creates a "Bloomberg waiver," allowing publicly funded candidates to raise and spend more private funds if outspent by wealthy, self-funded opponents.
Why it matters
Levels the playing field for publicly funded candidates. This amendment addresses situations where a wealthy, self-funded candidate (like Michael Bloomberg) drastically outspends their publicly financed opponent. By allowing a waiver, it helps ensure that public campaign finance doesn’t put candidates at a significant disadvantage in such races.
Limits on additional fundraising are tied to the opponent’s spending. Even with the waiver, the publicly funded candidate can only match, not exceed, the self-funded opponent’s spending. This seeks to maintain a competitive balance without opening the door to unlimited fundraising.
Protects the integrity of public matching funds. The bill specifies that while private fundraising limits can be temporarily lifted, the rules surrounding public matching funds remain unchanged. This prevents potential abuse of the public financing system even as it allows for more private fundraising in exceptional cases.
Creates a formal and transparent process. The law requires a formal application and demonstration of "substantial financial disadvantage" before a waiver is granted, ensuring that the exception is not automatic and is subject to oversight by the campaign finance board.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Level Playing Field for Candidates
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to election law
- Referred to election law
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
624
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. PERRY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to fair competition for publicly financed candidates by establishing the Bloomberg waiver
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 3-718 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as separately added by local law numbers 58, 59 and 60 of the city of New York for the year 2004, is amended to read as follows:
(iii) (A) file a written certification in such form as may be prescribed by the campaign finance board, which sets forth his or her acceptance of and agreement to comply with the terms and conditions of this section and the rules promulgated hereby, which includes an affirmation that the candidate has a sufficient amount of personal funds to fund his or her campaign; [and]
(B) that the campaign finance board shall propose to such candidate a voluntary personal funds spending limit of not more than one hundred twenty-five percent of such campaign finance board's recommended expenditure limit of the elected office contested; provided, however, that if such limit is declined by such candidate, a Bloomberg waiver of the existing limitations on an opposing, publicly funded candidate's ability to raise and expend private funds may be granted by the campaign finance board upon application, in a manner determined by such board, and upon a showing of substantial financial disadvantage demonstrated by the disparity in personal funds available; provided, however, that once such waiver is granted, the financially disadvantaged candidate may not expend a greater amount than the amount expended by the personally funded opponent as reported to the state board of elections; except that the limitations on matching funds shall not be modified; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06422-01-7
A. 624 2
(C) the deadline for filing such certification for a primary, general, or special election shall be the deadline date for filing written certifications pursuant to paragraph (c) of subdivision one of section [3-703(1)(c)] 3-703 by candidates seeking nomination for election or election to the same office in the same calendar year as candidates seeking to file a certification pursuant to this subparagraph, and the provisions of paragraph (c) of subdivision one of [such] section [3-703(1)(c)] 3-703 relating to the occurrence of an "extraordinary circumstance" shall apply to limited participating candidates; and
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to elections occurring on or after such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.