House Bill 12-1279: Public Financing of Elections to the General Assembly

• Creates a voluntary public financing system for Colorado state legislative candidates administered by a new Colorado Citizen-Funded Campaigns Commission.

• Candidates qualify for public funds by collecting minimum qualifying contributions of $5 from district residents (300 for senate, 150 for house candidates) and complying with spending and contribution restrictions.

• Establishes a dedicated Colorado Citizen-Funded Campaigns Fund financed through qualifying contributions, excess seed money, candidate surcharges, and legislative appropriations to provide campaign grants based on prior election spending averages.

• Participating candidates must accept only public funds and seed money contributions (capped at $5,000 for senate, $2,500 for house), participate in public debates, and maintain detailed financial records subject to commission audits and enforcement.

• Implements civil penalties ranging from double to five times violation amounts for contribution or expenditure limit breaches, with violations potentially resulting in certification revocation and repayment obligations.