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Bill

HB 5154

ELEC CD-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES

104th Regular Session Introduced by Kelly Cassidy and 14 co-sponsors

HB5154 tightens reporting and disclosure for independent and coordinated election spending, closing loopholes and boosting transparency around who funds influence campaigns.

Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Nabeela Syed
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 5154

Overview

HB5154 would reform Illinois’s Election Code to tighten transparency around independent expenditures, election spending, and coordinated expenditures. The bill expands who must report, what must be disclosed, and when, and it introduces new definitions and reporting mechanisms to improve accountability for funds used to influence elections and public policy.

Primary purpose and intent

  • Increase visibility into money spent to influence elections, specifically expenditures by groups and entities that fund independent expenditures and election spending.
  • Close loopholes that allow structured or opaque transfer of funds to influence campaigns.
  • Enhance reporting requirements for political committees, independent expenditure entities, and covered entities making independent expenditures or coordinating with campaigns.

Key provisions and changes

  • Thresholds for reporting:
    • Entities that spend $10,000+ on independent expenditures in a 12-month window or that accept $10,000+ in in-kind contributions to enable independent expenditures must maintain transfer records and file reports with the State Board of Elections.
  • Redefinition and scope:
    • Replaces references to “electioneering communication” with “election spending.”
    • Updates definitions for contributions, expenditures, political committees, and related concepts (including in-kind contributions, coordinated expenditures, and independent expenditures).
  • Independent expenditures and disclosure:
    • Independent expenditures must be disclosed if they cross thresholds, with ongoing reporting in $1,000 increments until the end of the next general election.
    • Large independent expenditures (e.g., $250,000+ for statewide offices or $100,000+ for other offices) trigger additional disclosures within 2 business days.
    • Requires disclosure of the contributor’s occupation and employer for large disclosures.
  • Transfer records and donor opt-out:
    • Covered entities must keep transfer records detailing donors and transfers.
    • Donors must be notified in writing that their funds may be used for independent expenditures and given a 21-day opt-out window before funds can be used, with records maintained for at least 5 years.
  • Coordinated expenditures:
    • Defines and regulates coordinated expenditures, including when expenditures are considered coordinated (e.g., if there is a close alignment with a candidate or party’s campaign).
    • Establishes firewall requirements to protect against coordinated activity and gives the State Board of Elections criteria to determine coordination.
  • Statements of organization:
    • Revisions to 9-3 require timely statements of organization for political committees, ballot initiative committees, and independent expenditure committees, with penalties for late filings.
    • Adds verification and information requirements about custodians, officers, and residual funds.
  • Additional reporting for entities making independent expenditures:
    • For covered entities that are also political committees, new reporting fields include affiliated persons, custodians, and details on contributors, intermediaries, disbursements, and potential candidates.
    • For non-committees, initial and subsequent reports must disclose ownership, transfer control, and contributor detail.
  • Prohibition on structured contributions:
    • New Section 9-55 imposes penalties for structuring contributions to evade reporting requirements.
  • Enforcement and penalties:
    • Board can assess civil penalties for violations, with scaling similar to previous enforcement structures.
    • Injunctive relief provisions to halt unregistered or undisclosed spending or independent expenditures.

Who would be affected

  • Political committees (candidate, party, PACs, ballot initiative committees, and independent expenditure committees).
  • Independent expenditure entities and other covered entities that spend or receive funds to influence elections.
  • Individual donors and intermediaries involved in funding independent expenditures or in-kind contributions.
  • The State Board of Elections, which would administer enhanced reporting, disclosures, and enforcement.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective changes would apply to reporting and disclosure requirements tied to election cycles; specific deadlines are aligned with existing quarterly and event-based reporting, with added urgency for large expenditures and initial filings by covered entities.
  • The bill introduces issuance of transfer records and opt-out notices within defined timeframes, and requires ongoing reporting through the end of the next general election for many independent expenditures.

Note: The bill includes numerous detailed definitions and cross-references within the Illinois Election Code, so full implementation would require regulation and guidance from the State Board of Elections.

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

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