SB 421 - An Act Concerning Elections

• Expands the Citizens' Election Program to include candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, Secretary of the State, and State Treasurer, in addition to state senators and state representatives.

• Increases volunteer service exemptions and de minimis contribution thresholds, including raising limits on food and beverage donations at candidate events from $200-$400 to $400-$800, and adding new exemptions for small electronic communications and personal property donations up to $50.

• Establishes "slate committees" for municipal candidates and requires weekly supplemental campaign finance reporting instead of event-triggered reporting during primary and general election campaigns with participating candidates.

• Modifies qualifying contribution requirements for Citizens' Election Program participation, allowing committees to transmit excess contributions to the Fund rather than return them, and permits candidates to receive partial grants while ballot status is being determined.

• Requires high-threshold filers (raising/spending $5,000+ or more) to submit campaign finance statements electronically through a web-based system, and transfers voting district map filing duties from town clerks to registrars of voters.