SB 181 — An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in primary and election expenses, further providing for residual funds.

PRINTER'S NO.   119

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 181
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY COSTA, BARTOLOTTA, STREET, COMITTA, FONTANA,
        SCHWANK, TARTAGLIONE, PHILLIPS-HILL, KANE AND DUSH,
        JANUARY 24, 2025

     REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 24, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
 2      "An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
 3      special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,
 4      primary and election expenses and election contests; creating
 5      and defining membership of county boards of elections;
 6      imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
 7      courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;
 8      imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,
 9      revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and
10      repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to
11      elections," in primary and election expenses, further
12      providing for residual funds.
13      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14   hereby enacts as follows:
15      Section 1.    Section 1630 of the act of June 3, 1937
16   (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, is
17   amended to read:
18      Section 1630.    Residual Funds.--
19      (a)   In the event that a candidate or political committee
20   terminates its financial activity as such, then the disbursement
21   of any residual funds remaining in such an account shall be made
22   in the following manner:
 1      (1)   any such funds may be used for any expenditure as
 2   defined by this article; [and]
 3      (2)   may be returned, pro rata, to the contributors by the
 4   candidate or treasurer of the political committee[. A final
 5   report must be made by the next January 31 in accordance with
 6   section 1627.]; or
 7      (3)   may be donated to a nonprofit organization.
 8      (b)   A final report must be made by the next January 31 in
 9   accordance with section 1627.
10      (c)   For purposes of this section:
11      (1)   "Affiliated" means serving as an officer of, on the
12   board of directors of, as a paid employee of or as a contractor
13   of a nonprofit organization.
14      (2)   "Family member" means a spouse or child.
15      (3)   "Nonprofit organization" means an organization that is
16   qualified by the Internal Revenue Service as meeting the
17   requirements of 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) (relating to exemption
18   from tax on corporations, certain trusts, etc.) organized under
19   the laws of this Commonwealth and is not affiliated with a
20   candidate or the chairman or treasurer of a political committee,
21   including a family member of the candidate, chairman or
22   treasurer.
23      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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