What's happening
This bill prohibits the use of campaign funds to pay for legal defense costs, except in certain civil actions related to election law.
Why it matters
Limits the use of campaign donations. by making it illegal for candidates and public officials to use these funds for their personal legal defense in most civil or criminal cases, which aims to increase transparency and prevent potential misuse.
Narrows exceptions to election-related cases only. , meaning campaign funds can only be used for legal costs if the case specifically concerns election law (Article 16), not for general legal troubles or investigations unrelated to campaign activity.
Targets accountability and public trust. by closing a loophole that previously allowed politicians to use donor money for personal legal battles, which may reassure voters that contributions are actually supporting campaign activities, not private legal issues.
Requires proactive notification. by the State Board of Elections to all registered campaign committees, emphasizing compliance and ensuring that candidates and officials are aware of the new legal boundaries.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Campaign Funds for Legal Fees
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to elections
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
932
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sens. HOYLMAN-SIGAL, ADDABBO, KRUEGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
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 of defending against any civil or criminal action, investigation or prosecution for alleged violations of state or federal law alleged to have been committed by a candidate, public or party official, members of their immediate family or domestic partner unless such expenditure is 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.
LBD03239-01-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the election law, in relation to the use of campaign funds to pay attorney's fees
Purpose
The purpose of this legislation is to explicitly prohibit the use of campaign funds to pay attorney's fees or other costs associated with criminal or civil litigation.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends section 14-130 of the election law to expressly prohib- it the use of campaign funds to pay attorney's fees or costs of defend- ing against civil or criminal investigation or prosecution for alleged violations of state or federal law. The only exception would be for costs related to civil actions for alleged violations of Article 16 of the Election Law.
Section 2 sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Currently, New York's election law, allowing candidates to spend campaign funds for "any lawful purpose," is among the most lax in the nation. While spending campaign funds for personal use is technically prohibited, the lack of any definition for what constitutes a personal use renders the provision meaningless. This shortcoming in the law is striking when compared to the detailed restrictions issued by the Feder- al Election Commission.
Campaign donors have a reasonable expectation that their contributions will be used for the candidate's election efforts and the execution of his or her duties. They do not expect their contributions to subsidize attorney's fees or litigation costs that have nothing to do with the nomination or election of the candidate to whom they made a donation. This legislation would therefore clarify that campaign funds may not be used for this purpose while preserving candidates' ability to use campaign funds for legal fees directly involved with nomination or election to office.
Legislative history
S.896 of 2023-2024(Hoylman-Sigal): Died in Elections
S.0682 of 2021-2022(Hoylman): Died in Elections
A.4174 of 2021-2022(Lavine): Died in Election Law
S.0050 of 2019-2020(Hoylman): Died in Elections
A.1827 of 2019-2020(Lavine): Died in Election Law
S.0088 of 2017-2018(Hoylman): Died in Elections
A.4181 of 2017-2018(Lavine): Died in Election Law
S.338-A of 2015-2016 (Hoylman): Died in Elections (2015 /Died in Inves- tigations & Government Operations (2016)
A.9331 of 2016 (Lavine): Died in Election Law
S.5094 of 2013-2014 (O'Brien): Died in Elections
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
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 law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.