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SB116 • 2026

CAMPAIGN FINANCE, CONTRIBUTION LIMITS

An Act amending campaign contribution limits for state and local office; directing the Alaska Public Offices Commission to adjust campaign contribution limits for state and local office once each decade beginning in 2031; and relating to campaign contribution reporting requirements.

Elections
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
SENATE STATE AFFAIRS
Last action
2025-05-01
Official status
(S) FIN
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on how contribution limits will be adjusted for future years beyond the initial adjustment in 2031.

Campaign Finance Contribution Limits

This act sets new limits on campaign contributions for state and local offices in Alaska, requires periodic adjustments based on inflation starting from 2031, and updates reporting requirements.

What This Bill Does

  • Sets new limits on how much an individual can donate to a candidate or campaign group each election cycle.
  • Adjusts the contribution limits every ten years beginning in 2031 based on inflation.
  • Updates rules for reporting campaign contributions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Candidates running for state and local offices in Alaska
  • Individuals who want to contribute money to political campaigns

Terms To Know

election cycle
The period from when a candidate can start receiving contributions until the end of their campaign.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It does not specify how contributions made before its effective date will be handled.
  • Future adjustments to contribution limits are based on inflation, which may vary over time.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-01 Min

    (S) Minutes (SFIN)

  2. 2025-05-01 Text

    (S) <Bill Hearing Canceled>

  3. 2025-05-01 Text

    (S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532

  4. 2025-04-23 933

    (S) REFERRED TO FINANCE

  5. 2025-04-23 933

    (S) FN1: ZERO(ADM)

  6. 2025-04-23 933

    (S) NR: BJORKMAN

  7. 2025-04-23 933

    (S) DNP: YUNDT

  8. 2025-04-23 933

    (S) DP: KAWASAKI, WIELECHOWSKI, GRAY-JACKSON

  9. 2025-04-23 933

    (S) STA RPT 3DP 1DNP 1NR

  10. 2025-04-22 Min

    (S) Minutes (SSTA)

  11. 2025-04-22 Text

    (S) Moved SB 116 Out of Committee

  12. 2025-04-22 Text

    (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  13. 2025-04-15 Min

    (S) Minutes (SSTA)

  14. 2025-04-15 Text

    (S) Scheduled but Not Heard

  15. 2025-04-15 Text

    (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  16. 2025-03-27 Min

    (S) Minutes (SSTA)

  17. 2025-03-27 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  18. 2025-03-27 Text

    (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  19. 2025-03-05 422

    (S) STA, FIN

  20. 2025-03-05 422

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

CAMPAIGN FINANCE, CONTRIBUTION LIMITS
An Act amending campaign contribution limits for state and local office; directing the Alaska Public Offices Commission to adjust campaign contribution limits for state and local office once each decade beginning in 2031; and relating to campaign contribution reporting requirements.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB0116A -1- SB 116
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0699\A

SENATE BILL NO. 116

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY THE SENATE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Introduced: 3/5/25
Referred: State Affairs, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act amending campaign contribution limits for state and loc al office; directing the 1
Alaska Public Offices Commission t o adjust campaign contributio n limits for state and 2
local office once each decade beginning in 2031; and relating t o campaign contribution 3
reporting requirements." 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 5
* Section 1. The uncodified law of the State o f Alaska is amended by adding a new section 6
to read: 7
LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds that the people of the state believe 8
that political power and influence with public officials should not be allocated solely based on 9
wealth. Instead, reasonable limits on the amount of campaign co ntributions are necessary to 10
secure equal rights for Alaskans and to preserve the integrity of our elections. 11
* Sec. 2. AS 15.13.070(b) is amended to read: 12
(b) E x c e p t a s p r o v i d e d i n ( h ) o f t h i s s e c t i o n , a n [AN] individual may 13
contribute not more than 14
34-LS0699\A
SB 116 -2- SB0116A
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

(1) $2,000 each election cycle [$500 PER YEAR] to a nongroup entity 1
for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, to a 2
candidate, or to an individual who conducts a w rite-in campaign as a candida te [, OR 3
TO A GROUP THAT IS NOT A POLITICAL PARTY]; 4
(2) $5,000 each [PER] year to a political party or other group. 5
* Sec. 3. AS 15.13.070(c) is amended to read: 6
(c) Except as provided in (h) of this section, a [A] group that is not a 7
political party may contribute not more than [$1,000 PER YEAR] 8
(1) $4,000 each election cycle to a candidate [,] or to an individual 9
who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate; 10
(2) $5,000 each year to another group, to a nongroup entity, or to a 11
political party. 12
* Sec. 4. AS 15.13.070(f) is amended to read: 13
(f) E x c e p t a s p r o v i d e d i n ( h ) o f t h i s s e c t i o n , a [A] nongroup entity may 14
contribute not more than 15
(1) $4,000 each election cycle [$1,000 A YEAR] to another nongroup 16
entity for the purpose of influencing the nomination or electio n of a candidate, to a 17
candidate, or to an individual who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate; 18
(2) $5,000 each year [, TO A GROUP, OR] to a political party or 19
other group. 20
* Sec. 5. AS 15.13.070(g) is amended to read: 21
(g) Where contributions are made to a joint campaign for gover nor and 22
lieutenant governor, 23
(1) an individual may contribute not more than $4,000 each election 24
cycle [$1,000 PER YEAR]; and 25
(2) a group may contribute not more than $8,000 each election cycle 26
[$2,000 PER YEAR]. 27
* Sec. 6. AS 15.13.070 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 28
(h) The contribution limits set out in (b)(1), (c)(2), and (f) of this section do 29
not apply to an individual, group, or nongroup entity contribut ing to a group or 30
nongroup entity that makes only independent expenditures. 31
34-LS0699\A
SB0116A -3- SB 116
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

(i) Beginning in the first quarter of calendar year 2031 and o nce every 10 1
years thereafter, the commission shall by regulation adjust the contribution limits set 2
out in this section by a percentage equal to the percentage of increase over the 3
preceding 10-year period in the Consumer Price Index for all ur ban consumers for 4
urban Alaska prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor 5
Statistics, rounded to the nearest $50 increment. 6
* Sec. 7. AS 15.13.110(i) is amended to read: 7
(i) During an election cycle [A CAMPAIGN PERIOD], the commission may 8
not change the manner or format in which reports required of a candidate under this 9
chapter must be filed. [IN THIS SUBSECTION, "CAMPAIGN PERIOD" M EANS 10
THE PERIOD BEGINNING ON THE DATE THAT A CANDIDATE BECOMES 11
ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER THIS 12
CHAPTER AND ENDING ON THE DATE THAT A FINAL REPORT FOR THAT 13
SAME CAMPAIGN MUST BE FILED.] 14
* Sec. 8. AS 15.13.400 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 15
(20) "election cycle" means the period beginning on the date t hat a 16
candidate becomes eligible to re ceive campaign contributions un der this chapter and 17
ending on the date that a final report for that same campaign must be filed. 18
* Sec. 9. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 19
read: 20
APPLICABILITY. This Act does not apply to contributions made to influence the 21
outcome of an election that occurred before the effective date of this Act. 22