HB259 Summary

• Amends Section 17-5-19.1 of the Alabama Code to redirect civil penalties collected by the Secretary of State for campaign finance violations from the general State General Fund to the State Executive Commission on Community Services Grants.

• Requires penalty funds to be used to provide grants to county probate courts or county commissions for preservation of recorded documents and placement of those documents on a searchable electronic database accessible to the public on the Internet.

• Grants are to be recommended by the Joint Legislative Advisory Committee on Community Service Grants before distribution to counties.

• Maintains existing civil penalty schedule for campaign finance violations, ranging from $300 (first offense) to $1,200 (third or subsequent offense), or percentages of unreported contributions/expenditures, whichever is lesser.

• Becomes effective immediately upon Governor's approval or upon becoming law otherwise.