SB 253 — AN ACT CONCERNING FOREIGN POLITICAL SPENDING.

General Assembly Substitute Senate Bill No.

253 FebruaryPublic Session,Act 2024No. AN ACT CONCERNING FOREIGN POLITICAL SPENDING.

24-28 AN ACT CONCERNING FOREIGN POLITICAL SPENDING.

(ii) With respect to which two or more, in combination, foreign LCO 1 of 9 Substitute Senate Bill No.

253 (ii) With respect to which two or more, in combination, foreign owners or persons described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of this subdivision hold, own, control or otherwise have a direct or indirect beneficial ownership of at least twenty per cent of such entity's total equity or outstandingvotingshares,excluding interestsheldinawidely held, diversified fund;

(NEW) (34) "Foreign principal" has the same meaning as provided in 22 USC 611(b), as amended from time to time.

(NEW) (37) "Foreign owner" means a firm, partnership, corporation, association, organization or other entity with respect to which a person described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subdivision (33) of this section holds, owns, controls or otherwise has a direct or indirect beneficial ownership of at least fifty per cent of such entity's total equity or outstanding voting shares, excluding interests held in a widely held, diversifiedPublic fund.Act No.

(NEW)24-28 (38) "Widely held, diversified fund" means a pooled LCO 2 of 9 Substitute Senate Bill No.

253 investment,diversified includingfund. a common trust fund of a financial institution, mutualfundor limited partnership,(A)that hasmore thanonehundred investors, (B) that invests not more than five per cent of its value in the securities of a single issuer, other than the federal government, (C) that invests not more than twenty per cent of its value in any one economic or geographic sector, and (D) for which no investor, and no immediate family member of an investor, is able to exercise control over the financial interests held by the pooled investment, including by exercising the pooled investment's authority as the holder of corporate securities.

(NEW) (38) "Widely held, diversified fund" means a pooled investment, including a common trust fund of a financial institution, mutualfundor limited partnership,(A)that hasmore thanonehundred investors, (B) that invests not more than five per cent of its value in the securities of a single issuer, other than the federal government, (C) that invests not more than twenty per cent of its value in any one economic or geographic sector, and (D) for which no investor, and no immediate family member of an investor, is able to exercise control over the financial interests held by the pooled investment, including by exercising the pooled investment's authority as the holder of corporate securities.

(2) Any person who, directly or indirectly, receives, accepts, requests or solicits from any person, committee, association, organization or corporation, any money, gift, advantage, preferment, aid, emolument or other valuable thing for the purpose of inducing or procuring any person to sign a nominating, primary or referendum petition or to vote or refrain from voting for or against any person or for or against any measurePublic atAct anyNo. such election, caucus, primary or referendum;

(3)24-28 Any person who, in consideration of any money, gift, advantage, preferment, aid, emolument or other valuable thing paid, received, accepted or promised to the person's advantage or any other person's advantage, votes or refrains from voting for or against any person or for LCO 3 of 9 Substitute Senate Bill No.

253 or against any measure at any such election, caucus, primary or referendum;

(3) Any person who, in consideration of any money, gift, advantage, preferment, aid, emolument or other valuable thing paid, received, accepted or promised to the person's advantage or any other person's advantage, votes or refrains from voting for or against any person or for or against any measure at any such election, caucus, primary or referendum;

(7)Public AnyAct personNo. who, directly or indirectly, individually or through another person, makes a payment or promise of payment to a treasurer in a name other than the person's own, and any treasurer who knowingly receives a payment or promise of payment, or enters or causes thesame to beenteredintheperson'saccountsin any other name than that of the person by whom such payment or promise of payment is made;

LCO24-28 4 of 9 Substitute Senate Bill No.

253 (8)(7) Any person who, directly or indirectly, individually or through another person, makes a payment or promise of payment to a treasurer in a name other than the person's own, and any treasurer who knowingly andreceives wilfullya violatespayment or promise of payment, or enters or causes thesame to beenteredintheperson'saccountsin any provisionother name than that of thisthe chapter;person by whom such payment or promise of payment is made;

(8) Any person who knowingly and wilfully violates any provision of this chapter;

(14) Any chief of staff of a legislative caucus who solicits a contribution on behalf of or for the benefit of any candidate for state, districtPublic orAct municipalNo. office from an employee of the legislative caucus;

24-28 5 of 9 Substitute Senate Bill No.

253 district or municipal office from an employee of the legislative caucus;

LCO(17) 5Any offoreign 9national Substitutethat Billmakes, No.directly or indirectly, (A) any contribution or any express or implied promise to make a contribution, or (B) any expenditure;

253 (17) Any foreign national that makes, directly or indirectly, (A) any contribution or any express or implied promise to make a contribution, or (B) any expenditure;

(7) the name of any candidate who was the subject of any independent expenditurePublic orAct expendituresNo. and whether the independent expenditure or expenditures were in support of or in opposition to such candidate;

24-28 6 of 9 Substitute Senate Bill No.

253 expenditure or expenditures and whether the independent expenditure or expenditures were in support of or in opposition to such candidate;

(3)the(3) the name and address of its treasurer, and deputy treasurer if applicable;

(4) LCOthe 6name, address and position of 9its Substitute[chairman] Billchairperson, No.and other principal officers if applicable;

253 the name, address and position of its [chairman] chairperson, and other principal officers if applicable;

(13) a statement indicating whether the committee is established for a single primary, election or referendumPublic orAct forNo. ongoing political activities;

24-28 7 of 9 Substitute Senate Bill No.

253 referendum or for ongoing political activities;

LCO(g)(1)(A)Inthecaseofawrittencomplaintfiledwiththecommission 7pursuant to section 9-7b, commission staff shall conduct and complete a preliminary examination of 9such Substitutecomplaint Billby No.the fourteenth day following its receipt, atwhich time such staff shall, at its discretion, [(A)] (i) dismiss the complaint for failure to allege any substantial violation of state election law supported by evidence, [(B)] (ii) engage the respondent in discussions in an effort to speedily resolve any matter pertaining to a de minimis violation, or [(C)] (iii) investigate and docket the complaint for a determination by the commission that probable cause or no probable cause exists for any such violation.

253If (g)(1)(A)Inthecaseofawrittencomplaintfiledwiththecommission pursuant to section 9-7b, commission staff shalldismisses conduct and complete a preliminary examination of such complaint bypursuant theto fourteenthsubparagraph day[(A)] following(A)(i) itsof receipt,this atwhichsubdivision, time such staff shall,shall atprovide its discretion, [(A)] (i) dismiss the complaint for failure to allege any substantial violation of state election law supported by evidence, [(B)] (ii) engage the respondent in discussions in an effort to speedily resolve any matter pertaining to a debrief minimiswritten violation,statement orconcisely [(C)]setting (iii)forth investigate and docket the complaintreasons for a determination by the commission that probable cause or no probable cause exists for any such violation.dismissal.

If commission staffdismissesastaff complaintengages a respondent pursuant to subparagraph [(A)][(B)] (A)(i)(A)(ii) of this subdivision,subdivision but is unable to speedily resolve any such staffmatter shalldescribed providein asaid briefsubparagraph writtenby statementthe conciselyforty-fifth settingday forthfollowing receipt of the reasonscomplaint, forPublic suchAct dismissal.No.

If24-28 commission8 staff engages a respondent pursuant to subparagraph [(B)] (A)(ii) of this9 subdivisionSubstitute butSenate isBill unableNo. to speedily resolve any such matter described in said subparagraph by the forty-fifth day following receipt of the complaint, such staff shall docket such complaint for a determination by the commission that probable cause or no probable cause exists for any violationofstate electionlaw.If thecommissiondoesnot,by thesixtieth day following receipt of the complaint, either issue a decision or render its determinationthatprobable cause or no probable cause exists for any violation of state election laws, the complainant or respondent may apply to the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford for an order to show cause why the commission has not acted upon the complaint and to provide evidence that the commission has unreasonably delayed action.

(B)253 (i)such Forstaff anyshall complaintdocket receivedsuch oncomplaint orfor aftera Januarydetermination 1,by 2018, if the commission doesthat not,probable bycause oneor yearno followingprobable receiptcause ofexists suchfor complaint,any issueviolationofstate aelectionlaw.If decisionthecommissiondoesnot,by thereon,thesixtieth theday commissionfollowing shallreceipt dismissof suchthe complaint, providedeither theissue lengtha ofdecision timeor ofrender anyits delaydeterminationthatprobable causedcause byor [(i)]no (I)probable thecause commissionexists orfor commissionany staffviolation grantingof anystate extensionelection orlaws, continuancethe tocomplainant aor respondent priormay apply to the issuancesuperior ofcourt anyfor suchthe decision,judicial [(ii)]district (II)of anyHartford subpoenafor issuedan inorder connectionto withshow suchcause complaint,why [(iii)]the (III)commission anyhas litigationnot inacted stateupon orthe federalcomplaint courtand related to suchprovide complaint,evidence orthat [(iv)]the (IV)commission LCOhas 8unreasonably ofdelayed 9action. Substitute Bill No.

253(B) (i) For any complaint received on or after January 1, 2018, if the commission does not, by one year following receipt of such complaint, issue a decision thereon, the commission shall dismiss such complaint, provided the length of time of any delay caused by [(i)] (I) the commission or commission staff granting any extension or continuance to a respondent prior to the issuance of any such decision, [(ii)] (II) any subpoena issued in connection with such complaint, [(iii)] (III) any litigation in state or federal court related to such complaint, or [(iv)] (IV) any investigation by, or consultation of the commission or commission staff with, the Chief State's Attorney, the Attorney General, the United States Department of Justice or the United States Attorney for Connecticut related to such complaint, shall be added to such one year.

ThisApproved actMay shall21, take2024 effectPublic asAct followsNo. and shall amend the following sections:

Section24-28 19 fromof passage9 9-601(33) to (38) Sec.