SB2714 Summary

• Prohibits personal use of campaign contributions by candidates and elected officials, defining personal use based on Internal Revenue Code Section 61 gross income standards, with specific prohibited expenses including residential/household items, funeral costs, clothing, vehicles, family tuition, and undocumented loans.

• Permits campaign contribution use for expenses directly resulting from campaign or officeholder activity, including office expenses, charitable donations of nominal value, meals related to campaign functions, and legal fees related to candidacy or official duties.

• Requires remaining campaign contributions upon filing a termination report to be maintained in campaign accounts, donated to political organizations/PACs, transferred to new political committees, donated to tax-exempt charities, donated to the State of Mississippi, or returned to donors (not the candidate).

• Establishes penalties of $1,000 fine plus state assessment equal to misappropriated contributions for willful violations, with advisory opinions available from Secretary of State providing criminal liability protection if followed in good faith.

• Implements electronic filing requirements beginning 2018 election cycle with searchable public database, shortens political committee statement of organization deadline from 10 to 48 hours, allows administrative fines up to $5,000 per violation, and exempts unopposed candidates from pre-election reporting requirements.