HB 996 — CAMPAIGN FINANCE DISCLOS: Provides for the use of campaign funds for clothing required for holding office

HLS 26RS-1488 ORIGINALENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.

to provide for expendituresexpendituresforclothingrequiredforholdingstatelegislativeoffice;andto forprovide clothing required for holdingrelated office;matters.

and to provide for related matters.

* * * (2) * * * (b) The following expenditures shall be presumed to be made for the personal use of the candidate or his principal campaign committee or a subsidiary committee thereof or an elected official or his leadership committee and shall be prohibited unless the candidate, elected official, or committee overcomes the Pagepresumption 1by showing by a preponderance of 3the CODING:evidence that the expenditure was not for personal use:

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HLS 26RS-1488 ORIGINALENGROSSED HB NO.

996 presumption(iii) byClothing showingexpenses, byexcept afor preponderance of the evidencefollowing: that the expenditure was not for personal use:

* * * (iii) Clothing expenses, except for the following:

(cc) Clothing,For members of the legislature, clothing, including belts and footwear, required for holding office and expenses for the cleaning and maintenance thereof.

The expenses provided for in this Subitem shall not exceed two thousand five hundred dollars per calendar year.

1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HB 996 OriginalEngrossed 2026 Regular Session Dewitt Abstract:

ProvidesProvidesthatexpendituresbyamemberofthelegislatureforclothing,including that expenditures for clothing, including belts and footwear, required for holding office and expenses for the cleaning and maintenance thereof are not presumed to be made for the personal use of the candidate.

Present law provides that certain expenditures, including for clothing, are presumed to be made for the personal use of the candidate or his principal campaign committee or a subsidiarycommittee thereofthereofor or an elected official or his leadership committee and shall be prohibited unless the candidate, elected official, or committee overcomes the presumption by showing by a preponderance of the evidence that the expenditure was not for personal use.

PresentPresentlawprovides law provides exceptions to the presumptionthatclothingexpenditurespresumption arethat madeclothing forexpenditures aremadefor personal use, including:

(2) Specialized apparel necessaryto attend a specific fundraising event or event related to the holding of office.

HLS 26RS-1488 ORIGINALENGROSSED HB NO.

996 (2)Proposed Specializedlaw apparelretains necessarytopresent attendlaw aand specificprovides fundraisingan eventadditional orexception eventthat relatedexpenditures toby a member of the legislature for clothing, including belts and footwear, required for holding ofoffice office.and expenses for the cleaning and maintenance thereof are not presumed to be made for personal use.

ProposedlawretainspresentlawandprovidesanadditionalexceptionthatexpendituresforProvides clothing,that includingsuch beltsexpenditures andshall footwear, required for holding office and expenses for the cleaning and maintenance thereof are not presumedexceed to$2,500 beper madeyear. for personal use.

18:1505.2(I)(2)(b)(iii)) PageSummary 3 of 3Amendments CODING:Adopted by House The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs to the original bill:

1.

Narrow the proposed law authorization to apply to only state legislators.

2.

Providea$2,500peryearlimitonexpendituresforclothingandrelatedexpenses that are not presumed to be for personal use.

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