What's happening
This bill prohibits the use of campaign funds for attorney's fees in federal criminal cases, allowing them only for certain civil actions.
Why it matters
Limits the use of campaign donations. By banning the use of campaign funds for defending federal criminal cases, the bill ensures that money from donors can't be diverted to pay for a candidate's or official's personal legal troubles in federal criminal court.
Protects donor intent and public trust. Voters and contributors generally expect their donations to support election-related activities, not personal legal defenses—this law draws a clear line, potentially reducing concerns about misuse or abuse of campaign finances.
Narrows legal spending exceptions. The only exception allowed is for civil actions under a specific article of New York election law, preventing broad or vague justifications for legal spending from campaign accounts and tightening overall financial accountability for candidates and officeholders.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Campaign Funds for Defense
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to election law
- Referred to election law
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2536
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 23, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. LAVINE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to the use of campaign funds to pay attorney's fees
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 14-130 of the election law is amended by adding a new subdivision 7 to read as follows:
7. No campaign funds shall be used to pay attorney's fees or any costs for the actual defense of a candidate, public or party official, members of their immediate family or domestic partner under federal criminal indictment. Such funds may only be used exclusively for costs related to civil actions instituted pursuant to article sixteen of this chapter.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that the state board of elections shall notify all registered campaign committees of the applicable provisions of this act within thirty days after this act shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04600-01-9
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.