HB656 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Marcel Black

Democrat

Co-Sponsor

Greg Wren

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Fair Campaign Practices Act, political action committee, treasurer required to maintain records of expenditures greater than amount allowed by federal law, candidates required to timely file statement of economic interests with Ethics Commission, fines, Secs. 17-5-2, 17-5-3, 17-5-4, 17-5-8 am'd.; Act 2009-751, 2009 Reg. Sess. am'd.

Summary

HB656 tightens campaign finance rules in Alabama by requiring detailed records and timing for PACs and candidates, adding economic-interest disclosures, and boosting penalties and protections for election integrity.

What This Bill Does

It requires political action committee treasurers to keep detailed records of expenditures greater than the amount allowed by federal law and to retain receipts for two years. It requires candidates to file a statement of economic interests with the State Ethics Commission, provides a receipt as proof of filing, and imposes fines for late filings; unopposed candidates must file timely, and nonpublic party positions are exempt. It expands annual campaign reports to identify large contributions, loans, and expenditures over federal limits, with fines for late reports and possible disqualification for noncompliance; it also restricts who may contribute to committees and enables electronic filing of reports starting August 1, 2010.

Who It Affects

• Candidates for state or local office and their principal campaign committees and political action committees, who must file economic-interest statements, timely campaign finance reports, and may face fines or disqualification for late filings.
• PAC treasurers, State Ethics Commission staff, and donors/parties, who must maintain detailed records, provide receipts, file reports (including electronically), and comply with new contribution eligibility rules and penalties.

Key Provisions

• PAC treasurers must maintain detailed records of expenditures over the federal limit, preserve receipted bills for two years, and keep records of contributors, loans, and purposes of expenditures.
• Candidates must file a statement of economic interests with the State Ethics Commission, obtain a receipt as proof of filing, and face fines for late filing; unopposed candidates must file timely, and nonpublic party positions are exempt from some filing requirements.
• Annual campaign reports must disclose contributors and loans over the federal limit, as well as expenditures and debts, with detailed identification of donors and recipients; fines can be imposed for late or incomplete reports and may include disqualification from ballot or office.
• Contribution eligibility is restricted to United States citizens, lawful permanent residents, or domestic corporations; electronic filing of reports is allowed with provided software and security measures.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Elections