SB3722 Summary

• Creates independent expenditure committees as a new type of political committee that can accept unlimited contributions for exclusive purpose of making independent expenditures supporting or opposing candidates or ballot measures, subject to registration and disclosure requirements.

• Establishes early voting on public university campuses for the 2012 general election, requiring election authorities to conduct early voting in high-traffic locations at specified Illinois public universities (U of I, SIU, EIU, ISU, NIU, and Western Illinois).

• Reduces grace period voter registration deadline from 7 days to 3 days before primary or election.

• Extends early voting period from 22 days to 15 days before elections and shortens final early voting day from 5 days to 3 days before election day.

• Adds reporting requirements for independent expenditures exceeding $250,000 (statewide office) or $100,000 (other offices), with threshold notifications triggering candidates to accept higher contributions.