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A 5559

Establishes a credentialing pilot program for direct support professionals

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Didi Barrett and 5 co-sponsors

Prohibits automatic or recurring political contributions by default; only allows them with affirmative consent and clear disclosure, with ELEC enforcing rules.

REPORTED REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
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Bill Summary · A 5559

Summary of Assembly Bill A-5559 (Political Donation Transparency Act)

Note on title discrepancy: The user-provided heading refers to “establishes a credentialing pilot program for direct support professionals.” The documents supplied, including the bill text and fiscal analyses, describe A-5559 as the Political Donation Transparency Act, focusing on prohibiting automatic or recurring political contributions. The summary below follows the actual content of the bill as provided.

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes a prohibition on automatic or recurring political contributions in solicitations for political contributions by any candidate, political committee, joint candidates committee, legislative leadership committee, independent expenditure committee, political party committee, or any person/entity acting on their behalf.
  • Requires that any automatic/recurring contribution meet specific safeguards to protect donor consent and transparency.
  • Aims to curb default enrollment in recurring political contributions and improve donor understanding of frequency and amount.

Key provisions

  • Prohibitions and standards:
    • Contributions shall not be automatic or recurring by default.
    • Automatic/recurring contributions must be initiated only with affirmative consent from the contributor.
    • Clear and conspicuous description of the nature, frequency, and amount of the automatic/recurring contribution must accompany the option to contribute automatically/recurringly.
  • Enforcement:
    • The Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) is authorized to promulgate rules necessary to implement these provisions.
    • Violations constitute a crime of the fourth degree (up to 18 months in prison, fines up to $10,000, or both).
  • Effective date: Immediate upon enactment.

Affected entities

  • Political actors regulated by campaign finance law, including:
    • Candidates
    • Political committees (including continuing committees, candidate committees, joint candidates committees)
    • Legislative leadership committees
    • Independent expenditure committees
    • Political party committees
    • Any person/entity acting on behalf of the above
  • Enforcement and implementation via ELEC.

Fiscal impact (from the Fiscal Note and OLS)

  • Overall: Indeterminate annual state expenditures and revenues.
  • Potential caseload impacts if prosecutions rise, affecting:
    • Department of Law and Public Safety (guidance and prosecution-related activities)
    • Judiciary (adjudication of new complaints, monitoring of probationers)
    • Office of the Public Defender (representation of additional defendants)
    • Department of Corrections (housing/processing additional offenders)
    • State Parole Board (supervision of additional parolees)
  • Financial implications for offenders: Fourth-degree crimes carry potential imprisonment (up to 18 months) and fines (up to $10,000). The OLS notes that first-time offenders of degrees like the fourth may have non-incarceration presumptions.
  • Revenue: Possible but indeterminate fines; historically limited collection.

Legislative actions and status

  • Introduced: April 10, 2025
  • Initial referral: Assembly State and Local Government Committee
  • May 20, 2025: Referred to Ways and Means
  • June 26, 2025: Transferred to Assembly Budget Committee; reported out favorably (2nd Reading)
  • Sponsorship: Primary—Jo Anne Simon; with cosponsors Angelo Santabarbara, Didi Barrett, Manny De Los Santos, Mary Beth Walsh, Christopher Eachus
  • Related bills: Companion S-4329; additional prior-session references

Practical takeaways

  • The bill would curb default automatic recurring political contributions, requiring affirmative consent and clear disclosure.
  • It creates a new criminal penalty framework for violations and authorizes ELEC to craft enforcement rules.
  • Fiscal effects are not precisely quantified but could involve notable administrative and prosecutorial costs depending on enforcement intensity.

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

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