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HB 172

AN ACT relating to campaign finance.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Daniel Grossberg

HB 172 tightens Kentucky campaign finance rules by expanding definitions, requiring reporting for independent expenditures over $500, indexing contribution limits to inflation, and

to Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)
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Bill Summary · HB 172

Overview

HB 172 (2026 Regular Session, Kentucky) is an act relating to campaign finance. It amends the Kentucky Campaign Finance statutes (KRS Chapter 121), updating definitions, reporting requirements, contribution limits, banned activities, and related procedural rules. The changes affect candidates, campaign committees, caucus committees, independent expenditure committees, permanent and party committees, contributing organizations, and reporting mechanics through the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance.

Purpose and intent

  • Modernize and tighten campaign finance rules in Kentucky.
  • Clarify the scope and definitions of various campaign entities and financial activities.
  • Establish reporting thresholds for independent expenditures.
  • Update contribution limits, inflation indexing, and related prohibitions to enhance transparency and compliance.
  • Address post-election activities, fundraising, and permissible post-election fundraising or expense deferral in limited circumstances.

Key provisions and changes

Section 1 — Expanded definitions and terminology

  • Reiterates and refines multiple definitions in KRS 121.015, including:
    • Registry (Kentucky Registry of Election Finance) and what constitutes an election (primary, regular, or special).
    • Committees and subtypes:
    • Campaign committee
    • Independent expenditure-only committee
    • Caucus campaign committee
    • Political issues committee
    • Permanent committee
    • Inaugural committee
    • Executive committee of a political party
    • Contributing organization, testimonial affair, and various terms related to contributions, expenditures, and reporting.
    • Independent expenditure: defines as communications that expressly advocate for/against a candidate or ballot measure made without coordination with the candidate or political actor and not made in concert with them or their agents.
    • Ballot measures, ballot measure language development (preliminary activity), and related reporting concepts.
    • Electronic reporting, electronic signatures, filer, and related technical/administrative terms.

Section 2 — Contribution limits, prohibitions, and reporting

  • Independent expenditures:
    • Any independent expenditure over $500 in a single election must be reported, with a signed perjury statement affirming independence and no prior campaign contact.
  • Prohibited solicitations and contributions:
    • Campaign committees, independent expenditure-only committees, caucus committees, political issues committees, permanent committees, and party executive committees cannot solicit funds for religious, charitable, civic, or eleemosynary causes (with limited carve-out for charitable status or for certain designations).
  • Anonymous contributions:
    • Prohibits accepting anonymous contributions over $100; if donor is identifiable, amounts over $100 must be returned; if donor cannot be determined, escheat to the state.
    • Aggregate anonymous contributions over $2,000 in a single election escheat to the state.
  • Cash contributions:
    • Cash contributions limited to $100 per contributor per election; cashier’s checks/money orders must clearly identify both payer and payee; cash contributions above $100 are prohibited.
  • Age restriction:
    • No contributions from individuals under 18 (as of the next general election).
  • Inflation-indexed limits:
    • General contribution limits capped at $2,000 per election, adjusted every odd-numbered year for inflation using CPI-U, rounded to the nearest hundred dollars.
  • Permanent committees:
    • Treated as a single entity for applying contribution limits when affiliated; a permanent committee may donate to an independent expenditure-only committee or federally registered committee, with disclosure when funds are earmarked for a specific independent expenditure.
  • Circumvention prohibitions:
    • Prohibits schemes to bypass contribution limits (e.g., contributions to one committee to influence another).
  • State party and caucus limits:
    • State executive committee contributions limited to $5,000 per year; similar $5,000 annual limits apply to subdivisions/affiliates and caucus campaign committees.
  • Intermediaries and conduit payments:
    • Prohibits payments intended to pass through intermediaries to circumvent contribution rules; expenditures must go directly to providers.
  • Post-election solicitations:
    • General prohibition on soliciting/accepting contributions for primary/regular/special election expenses after the election date, with limited post-election exceptions for election contest/recount-related expenses, legal actions, repayment of debts, and other post-election obligations.
  • Corporate contributions:
    • Prohibits corporate contributions from a corporation’s general treasury to state candidates, with an exception for designated state executive committee building fund contributions.
  • State employee solicitations:
    • Prohibits soliciting contributions from state employees; exceptions allow solicitations directed at registered voters in a precinct, provided it’s not targeting state employees specifically.
  • Federal campaign funds:
    • Prohibits accepting contributions from funds in a federal campaign account to Kentucky candidates or slates.
  • Married couples:
    • Allows a married couple to combine contributions on a single check up to the combined limits, provided both signatures are on the check and the memo line designates the allocation of amounts to specific elections.

Who would be affected

  • Political candidates for state, county, city, or district offices, including candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor (slates).
  • Campaign committees, including traditional campaign committees, independent expenditure-only committees, caucus committees, political issues committees, permanent committees, and party executive committees.
  • Contributing organizations and bylaw-structured affiliations (permanent committees).
  • Ballot measure advocates and political action participants, including those involved in election contests and recounts.
  • The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, which would implement and enforce these provisions, including electronic filing and reporting.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The bill establishes reporting thresholds and timing for independent expenditures (reportable at $500 aggregate per election).
  • Inflation adjustments to contribution limits occur every odd-numbered year using CPI-U data; values are rounded to the nearest hundred dollars.
  • Post-election reporting requirements would apply to reports filed after the election for qualifying events (e.g., recounts, contest-related expenses).
  • Various provisions reference KRS 121.180 for post-election reporting timelines and formats.
  • The act aligns with the registry’s ability to use electronic reporting, filer-side software, and online forms to capture and process disclosures.

Summary

HB 172 broadens and tightens Kentucky’s campaign finance framework by refining definitions, increasing transparency for independent expenditures, indexing contribution limits to inflation, tightening prohibitions on anonymous and cash contributions, clarifying post-election activity rules, and clarifying the roles and limits of various committees and contributing organizations. It aims to reduce circumvention of contribution limits, enhance disclosure, and provide clearer procedural rules for reporting through the state Registry of Election Finance.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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