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HA1TOHS1FORHB216 • 2025

This Amendment to H.S.

This Amendment to H.S.

Elections
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
K. Williams
Last action
2026-05-21
Official status
Introduced and Placed With Bill
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on when the bill will take effect, leaving this as an unknown.

Amendment to Align State Election Laws with Federal Law

This amendment updates state election laws to align with federal rules regarding foreign contributions and expenditures, simplifies reporting requirements for political ads, and includes a provision that allows parts of the law to stand if other parts are found invalid.

What This Bill Does

  • Aligns state laws about foreign money in elections with federal laws for clarity and consistency.
  • Removes the requirement that candidate committees or political parties disclose additional details about each expenditure on an advertisement, including the target audience.
  • Adds a severability clause.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Candidates and political committees in state elections
  • People or groups trying to influence state elections with foreign money

Terms To Know

severability clause
A part of a law that says if one section is not legal, the rest of the law can still be used.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify when it will take effect.
  • It only changes state laws and does not affect federal rules directly.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-21 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Placed With Bill

Official Summary Text

This Amendment to H.S. 1 to HB 216 aligns the State ban on foreign contributions or expenditures in State elections with that of the federal law for clarity and consistency. It also removes the requirement that a candidate committee or political party disclose additional details about each expenditure on an advertisement, including the target audience. Finally, this Amendment adds a severability clause.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. K. Williams

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1

TO

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1

FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 216

AMEND House Substitute No. 1 to House Bill No. 216 by deleting lines 45 through 48 in their entirety and redesignating accordingly.

FURTHER AMEND House Substitute No. 1 to House Bill No. 216 on line 81 by deleting “

(35)b.3.

” as it appears therein and inserting in lieu thereof “

(34)b.3.

”.

FURTHER AMEND House Substitute No. 1 to House Bill No. 216 on line 88 by deleting “

(35)c.2.

” as it appears therein and inserting in lieu thereof “

(34)c.2.

”.

FURTHER AMEND House Substitute No. 1 to House Bill No. 216 by deleting lines 133 through 138 and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

“

(a) No foreign national may, directly or indirectly, make a contribution, expenditure, independent expenditure, or electioneering communication in connection with any state or local election in this State.

(b) No candidate, candidate committee, political committee, or other person may knowingly solicit, accept, direct, receive, or expend a contribution or other thing of value from a foreign national.

(c) A contribution or expenditure shall be considered indirect if made through a conduit, intermediary, affiliate, or any other person or entity acting on behalf of or at the direction of a foreign national.

”.

FURTHER AMEND House Substitute No. 1 to House Bill No. 216 by deleting lines 189 through 197 in their entirety.

FURTHER AMEND House Substitute No. 1 to House Bill No. 216 on line 198 by deleting “

(i)

” as it appears therein and inserting in lieu thereof “

(h)

”.

FURTHER AMEND House Substitute No. 1 to House Bill No. 216 after line 268 by inserting the following:

“Section 10. This Act is severable. If a provision of this Act or the application of this Act to a person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect the provisions or applications of this Act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.”.

SYNOPSIS

This Amendment to H.S. 1 to HB 216 aligns the State ban on foreign contributions or expenditures in State elections with that of the federal law for clarity and consistency. It also removes the requirement that a candidate committee or political party disclose additional details about each expenditure on an advertisement, including the target audience. Finally, this Amendment adds a severability clause.