Every year, legislators introduce various pieces of legislation related to campaign finance reform, which you can see below. Many have been unsuccessful in the past and 2024 was no exception. Every single significant campaign finance bills was killed, by not hearing the bill or denying a vote. THIS IS SHAMEFUL. Check out the bills below.
2024 Campaign Finance Legislation
*We will continue to update this page as new legislation is introduced in the lead up to the 2024 General Assembly session.
Increased Disclosure Requirements
Sen. Barbara Favola SB 78, Del. Dan Helmer HB 276
Increases the disclosure requirements for independent expenditures, requires that any advertisement that is an independent expenditure or expressly advocates for the passage or defeat of a referendum contain a disclaimer providing the names of all sponsoring organizations as well as the top three individual contributors.
Restricting Personal Use of Campaign Contributions
Del. Marcus Simon HB 40; Del. Mike Cherry HB 629; Sen. Jennifer Boysko SB 377
Virginia is one of only two states which has no restrictions on personal use of campaign funds. These bills prohibit the use of campaign contributions for personal use, detail the permissible personal use of campaign funds while developing a system of reporting and an investigative process which protects candidates from frivolous complaints.
Limits on Campaign Contributions
Del David Bulova HB 874 Prohibits persons from making any single contribution, or any combination of contributions, that exceeds $20,000 to any one candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, or the General Assembly in any one election cycle and $10,000 for any Delegate.
Sen. David Suetterlein SB 107
Prohibits fund raising during a special session as is the case during regular sessions.
Public Financing of Elections
Del. Marcus Simon HB 1045
This bill establishes the Public Campaigns Program within the Dept. of Elections to provide matching payments of public money to participating candidates running for state-wide and legislative races. Qualifying candidates can receive a progressive match on small-dollar contributions of less than $250 if they agree to: 1) abide by contribution limits laid out in the bill, 2) adhere to aggregate caps on public matching payments, and 3) participate in at least one public debate.
The Virginia Integrity Bill
Del. Irene Shin HB 911
The bill strengthens Virginia’s commitment to ethical government by providing the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council (Council) with authority to meaningfully evaluate compliance with the Virginia General Assembly Conflicts of Interest Act.
2023 Campaign Finance Legislation
Increased Disclosure Requirements
Sen. Barbara Favola SB 854, Del. Dan Helmer HB 1551
Increases the disclosure requirements for independent expenditures, requires that any advertisement that is an independent expenditure or expressly advocates for the passage or defeat of a referendum contain a disclaimer providing the names of all sponsoring organizations as well as the top three individual contributors.
Sen. Jeremy McPike SB 1053
Requires the electronic filing of all campaign financing reports for all state and local elections.
Sen. David Suetterlein SB 1427
Requires in-state political action committees to file a report for any single expenditure of $1,000 or more made between October 1 and the date of the November general election.
Restricting Personal Use of Campaign Contributions
Del. Marcus Simon HB 1552; Del. Mike Cherry HB 1826; Sen. Jennifer Boysko SB 1471
Virginia is one of only two states which has no restrictions on personal use of campaign funds. These bills prohibit the use of campaign contributions for personal use, detail the permissible personal use of campaign funds while developing a system of reporting and an investigative process which protects candidates from frivolous complaints.
Limits on Campaign Contributions
Sen. Chap Petersen SB 803
Prohibits persons from making any single contribution, or any combination of contributions, that exceeds $20,000 to any one candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, or the General Assembly in any one election cycle.
Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg HB 2286
Provides a sliding scale of aggregate contributions to any one candidate in a calendar year that can be made by three types of contributors: individuals, Political Action Committees, and Political Party committees. Limits from individuals: $40,000 to Governor, $30,000 to State Senator, $20,000 to Delegate, $20,000 to any political action committee, and $40,000 to any political party committee. Limits from Political Action Committees (PACs): $40,000 for Governor, $20,000 for State Senator, and $10,000 for Delegate. Limits from Political Party Committees: $80,000 for Governor, $60,000 for State Senator, and $40,000 for Delegate.
Sen. David Suetterlein SB 946
Prohibits fund raising during a special session as is the case during regular sessions.
Sen. Chap Petersen SB 804
Prohibits contributions by public utilities.
Del. Tim Anderson HB 1648
Prohibits foreign-influenced corporations from making independent expenditures or making contributions to a candidate, campaign committee, political committee, or political party committee.
Resolution Supporting US Constitutional Amendment to Regulate Election Spending
Del. Vivian Watts HR 242
This Resolution urges that the US Constitution be amended to make clear that states have the power to regulate and set limits on election contributions and expenditures in state elections and that the US Congress likewise have such power in federal elections. The resolution directs the Virginia’s Congressional Delegation to support such legislation and take actions to immediately pass an amendment and transmit it back to states for ratification. This resolution is necessitated by SCOTUS rulings that have severely curtailed the rights of Congress and the states to regulate election spending, by equating “money as free speech” and “corporations as people.
The Virginia Integrity Bill
Del. Irene Shin HB 2281
This bill strengthens the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council. The bill expands the authority of the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council (the Council) to investigate Virginia residents’ complaints alleging violations of State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act and the General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act (the Acts).
2022 Campaign Finance Legislation
Increased Disclosure
Sen. David Suetterlein SB 67 (Continued) and SB 233 (Continued), Sen. Barbara Favola, SB 318 (Killed), Sen. Jeremy McPike SB 222 (Killed), Del. Tim Anderson HB 86 (Continued), Del. Glenn Davis HB 125 (Passed), Del. David Bulova HB 500 (Killed) and HB 495 (Killed), Del. Dan Helmer HB489 (Killed) and HB1302 (Killed)
Increased Oversight
Del. David Bulova HB 492 (Passed)
Restricting Personal Use of Campaign Funds
Sen. John Bell SB 463 (Killed), Del. Marcus Simon HB 973 (Killed), Del. Mike Cherry 1296 (Killed)
Campaign Contribution Limits
Sen. Chap Petersen SB 44 (Killed), Sen. Morrissey SB 111 (Killed), Del. Tim Anderson HB 85 (Killed), Del. Rob Bloxom HB 174 (Killed), Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg HB 575 (Killed)
Banning Contributions from Public Utilities
Sen. Chap Petersen SB 45 (Killed), Del. Lee Ware HB 71 (Killed), Del. Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler HB 524 (Killed)
Extending the Joint Subcommittee on Campaign Finance Reform
Del. David Bulova HJ53 (Passed)
2021 Campaign Finance Legislation
Restricting Personal Use of Campaign Funds
Del. Marcus Simon HB 1952 (Killed)
Campaign Contribution Limits
Sen. Chap Petersen SB1233 (Killed)
Banning Contributions from Corporations
Del. Lee Carter HB 1906 (Killed)
Banning Contributions from Public Utilities
Sen. Chap Petersen SB 1236 (Killed), Del. Ibraheem Samirah HB 1756 (Killed)
Creating the Joint Subcommittee on Campaign Finance Reform
Del. David Bulova HJ 526 (Passed)
2020 Campaign Finance Legislation
Increased Disclosure
Del. Marcus B. Simon HB 849 (Passed)
Public Financing of Elections
Del. Marcus B. Simon HB 851 (Killed)
Restricting Personal Use of Campaign Funds
Sen. Dick Saslaw SB 166 (Killed), Del. Marcus Simon HB 848 (Killed)
Campaign Contribution Limits
Sen. Chap Petersen SB 488 (Killed), Sen. Adam Ebbin SB 889 (Killed), Del. Mark Levine HB 895 (Killed)
Banning Contributions from Public Utilities
Sen. Chap Petersen SB 25 (Killed), Del. Joshua Cole HB 111 (Killed)