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HB 3698

ELEC CD-SPENDING DISCLOSURE

104th Regular Session Introduced by Dee Avelar and 14 co-sponsors

Recasts electioneering as election spending, broadens definitions of contributions, expenditures, and in-kind; clarifies independent vs coordinated spending and boosts disclosures.

Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Kevin John Olickal
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Bill Summary · HB 3698

Summary — HB 3698 (ELEC CD‑SPENDING DISCLOSURE)

Status: Enacted — Signed by Governor 05/29/2025; Effective 09/01/2025
Primary sponsor: Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy. Selected cosponsors: Lilian Jiménez, Gregg Johnson, Nabeela Syed, Michelle Mussman, Dagmara Avelar, Joyce Mason, Norma Hernandez, Theresa Mah, Kevin John Olickal, Rita Mayfield, Lindsey LaPointe, Laura Faver Dias, Barbara Hernandez.

Purpose / Intent

HB 3698 amends Illinois’ Election Code to revise and clarify how certain political communications and payments are defined and reported. The bill replaces the phrase “electioneering communication” with the broader term “election spending,” updates related definitions (contribution, expenditure, in‑kind contribution, political committee), and establishes new statutory sections (10 ILCS 5/9‑1.16 and 9‑1.17) to govern independent expenditures, election spending, and coordinated expenditures.

Key provisions

  • Terminology change: Replaces references to “electioneering communication” throughout Article 9 with “election spending.”
  • Definitions updated/added:
    • Contribution (10 ILCS 5/9‑1.4): broadened to expressly include anything of value constituting “election spending” made in cooperation, concert, or at the request/suggestion/knowledge of a candidate, political committee, or their agents.
    • Expenditure (10 ILCS 5/9‑1.5): includes payments or things of value that constitute “election spending” made in concert or cooperation with a candidate or political committee, or at their request, suggestion, or knowledge.
    • In‑kind contribution (newly defined): expressly includes goods or services and anything of value that constitutes election spending provided in concert or cooperation with, or at the request, suggestion, or knowledge of, a candidate or political committee.
    • Political committee definition clarified to continue to include candidate committees, party committees, PACs, ballot initiative committees, and independent expenditure committees.
  • Treatment of independent expenditures: Independent expenditures remain specifically excluded from the statutory definition of “contribution,” but the bill clarifies the distinction between truly independent spending and spending that is coordinated (which is treated as a contribution or in‑kind contribution).
  • Adds two new sections (9‑1.16 and 9‑1.17) to further define and address independent expenditures, election spending, and coordinated expenditures (text of those sections not fully reproduced in the summary document).

Who is affected

  • Candidates and candidate committees
  • Political parties and party committees
  • Political action committees and independent expenditure committees
  • Outside spenders (nonprofit organizations, corporations, unions, advocacy groups, vendors)
  • Donors and fundraisers who supply goods, services, or money used for political communications

Likely impact

  • Broadening/clarifying definitions increases the circumstances under which communications or payments will be treated as contributions or in‑kind contributions (i.e., coordinated expenditures), likely resulting in more disclosures and in some cases reporting obligations for organizations that previously claimed independence.
  • Maintains the independent expenditure carve‑out (spending that is truly independent is not a contribution), while tightening the standard for what counts as independent versus coordinated.
  • Practical effects depend on implementing rules and enforcement by the State Board of Elections and how the added sections define coordination and reporting thresholds.

Legislative timeline (selected)

  • Filed: 02/07/2025 (first read 02/18/2025)
  • Passed both chambers: 04/30–05/19/2025
  • Sent to Governor: 05/20/2025; Signed into law: 05/29/2025
  • Effective date: 09/01/2025

Note: This summary focuses on the changes visible in the bill text provided (terminology and definitional revisions). The bill adds new statutory sections whose detailed operative text was not fully quoted here; those sections may contain additional procedural or reporting specifications that further affect implementation.

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

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