AB 1692 Summary

• Defines "attorney's fees and other related legal costs" for legal defense funds to include only attorney fees, other legal costs for defense, and administrative costs for compliance with campaign finance law, excluding fundraising, consulting, advertising, and fines/penalties/settlements (with limited exceptions).

• Prohibits use of campaign funds to pay fines, penalties, judgments, or settlements related to campaign expenditures that resulted in personal benefits if not reasonably related to political purposes, or substantial personal benefits if not directly related to political purposes.

• Adds new restrictions on campaign fund expenditures including prohibitions on personal vacation payments, country club/health club membership dues, tuition payments (unless directly related to political purposes), and all clothing purchases for candidates or elected officers.

• Establishes stricter gift rules prohibiting campaign fund gifts to family members of candidates or officers except for nominal gifts directly related to political purposes.

• Applies the revised definitions of "attorney's fees and other costs" to the article governing campaign fund expenditures and includes provisions to harmonize this bill with similar amendments proposed by Assembly Bill 1666 and Senate Bill 831.