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Bill

S 86

An act relating to establishing penalties for the failure of a candidate to file campaign finance disclosures

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Alison Clarkson and 2 co-sponsors

Establishes penalties for candidates who fail to file required campaign finance disclosures to enforce timely, complete reporting and transparency.

Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Government Operations
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 86

Overview

S.86 (2025-2026) from Vermont establishes penalties for candidates who fail to file required campaign finance disclosures. The bill aims to enforce timely and complete disclosure of campaign finance information by creating specified consequences for non-compliance.

Purpose and Intent

  • Ensure accountability and transparency in campaign finance by mandating timely filing of disclosures.
  • Deter violations by establishing clear penalties for candidates who do not submit required reports.
  • Support the public’s access to information about campaign contributions and expenditures.

Key Provisions

  • Establishes penalties for candidates who fail to file required campaign finance disclosures.
  • Penalties are designed to apply to all candidates subject to Vermont’s campaign finance reporting requirements.
  • The bill outlines the criteria and processes for determining non-compliance and imposing penalties (e.g., deadlines, notices, and enforcement actions).
  • May specify the nature of penalties (e.g., fines, administrative actions, or other sanctions) and any remedies or opportunities to cure non-compliance.
  • Aligns with existing Vermont statutes governing campaign finance disclosures, filing timelines, and enforcement mechanisms (the exact statutory references are presumed to be integrated into the bill).

Who Is Affected

  • Primary: Candidates for elective office subject to Vermont’s campaign finance disclosure requirements.
  • Potentially affected entities include campaign committees, political action committees, treasurers, and other individuals responsible for filing disclosures.
  • Vermont's election administrators and the Secretary of State’s office, or the relevant campaign finance enforcement body, would implement and enforce the penalties.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Status: Read 1st time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations (as of 2025-02-25).
  • Committee handling: Government Operations will review the bill, hold hearings, and potentially amend before moving to full chamber consideration.
  • If advanced, the bill would proceed through the standard Vermont legislative process (passes both chambers and is signed by the Governor, unless vetoed and overridden).

Potential Impacts

  • Increased compliance with campaign finance filing requirements due to clarified penalties.
  • Possible administrative burden on candidates and campaign committees to ensure filings are timely to avoid penalties.
  • Greater transparency and accountability in campaign finance data available to the public.

Notes

  • Co-sponsors include Tanya Vyhovsky, Ruth Hardy, and Alison Clarkson.
  • Specific penalty amounts, thresholds, cure periods, and enforcement details are not provided in the summary; the final bill text will specify these elements.

If you’d like, I can pull in the exact statutory references and summarize the precise penalties and procedures once the bill text is available.

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

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