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Bill

Bill

A 2463

Requires shareholders to approve corporate political expenditures

2025 Regular Session Introduced by William Colton and 1 co-sponsor

Summary of Bill A 2463: Requires Shareholders to Approve Corporate Political Expenditures Purpose and IntentThe main purpose of Bill A 2463 is to require corporations to obtain sha

REFERRED TO ELECTION LAW
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Bill Summary · A 2463

Summary of Bill A 2463: Requires Shareholders to Approve Corporate Political Expenditures

Purpose and Intent

The main purpose of Bill A 2463 is to require corporations to obtain shareholder approval before making any political expenditures, such as contributions to candidates, political action committees, or ballot measure campaigns. The intent is to increase transparency and accountability in corporate political spending by giving shareholders a direct say in how their company's money is used for political purposes.

Key Provisions

The key provisions of the bill include:

  • Corporations must obtain prior approval from a majority of their shareholders before making any political expenditures over $10,000.
  • Corporations must disclose all political expenditures, regardless of amount, to their shareholders on an annual basis.
  • The New York State Board of Elections would be responsible for enforcing the shareholder approval requirement and issuing fines for non-compliance.
  • The bill would apply to all corporations incorporated or doing business in the state of New York.

Impact and Affected Parties

If passed, this bill would significantly impact the political activities of corporations headquartered or operating in New York. Corporate executives would need to obtain shareholder approval before using company funds for political purposes, reducing their unilateral control over these decisions.

Shareholders, especially institutional and activist investors, would gain more direct influence over how their invested capital is used for political ends. This could lead to more scrutiny and debate around corporate political spending.

The New York State Board of Elections would take on new responsibilities to monitor and enforce the shareholder approval requirement, which could impact their workload and budget.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Bill A 2463 was first introduced in the New York State Assembly on January 17, 2025 and has been referred to the Election Law Committee. It has several related bills from previous legislative sessions that addressed similar issues around corporate political spending disclosure and regulation.

The bill will need to pass through committee review, floor votes in both the Assembly and Senate, and be signed by the Governor to become law. The timeline for potential passage and implementation is uncertain, as the bill has just been recently introduced.

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

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