Use of Campaign Funds for Campaign-related Child Care Expenses

Children Elections

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Skidmore ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Campbell
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in Government Operations Subcommittee
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Using Campaign Money for Child Care During Elections

This law allows candidates to use campaign funds to pay for child care only when the cost is caused by their election work, provided they keep specific records and report these costs.

What This Bill Does

Defines 'campaign-related child care expenses' as costs needed because a candidate is doing campaign activities like debates or meetings.
Allows candidates to use money from their campaign accounts to pay for this specific type of child care if the expense would not exist without the campaign work.
Requires candidates to keep receipts and records showing dates, times, and details of the campaign events that created the need for care.
Mandates that these financial records be kept for at least 3 years after the election ends.
Requires candidates to list these expenses in their regular public finance reports with specific amounts and dates.

Who It Names or Affects

Candidates running for office who have dependent children
Spouses of candidates regarding campaign fund usage rules

Terms To Know

Campaign-related child care expenses: Costs for caring for a candidate's dependent child that happen only because the candidate is doing campaign activities like events or debates.
Eligible child care provider: Any person or licensed group paid to provide legal and compliant child care services, including centers, family homes, or in-home care.

Limits and Unknowns

Campaign funds cannot be used for routine child care or personal errands that are not tied to campaign work.
The law does not specify the maximum dollar amount a candidate can spend on these expenses.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in Government Operations Subcommittee
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2025-11-18 House
• Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee • Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in Government Operations Subcommittee
2025-11-05 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Use of Campaign Funds for Campaign-related Child Care Expenses; Defines "campaign-related child care expenses" & "eligible child care provider"; authorizes candidate to use funds on deposit in his or her campaign account to pay for campaign-related child care expenses under specified conditions; requires candidate to maintain specified records for specified timeframe & provide such records to Division of Elections upon request; requires candidate to disclose use of campaign funds for campaign-related child care expenses in his or her regular campaign finance reports.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 361 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb361-00
Page 1 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to use of campaign funds for campaign-2
related child care expenses; amending s. 106.1405, 3
F.S.; defining the terms "campaign-related child care 4
expenses" and "eligible child care provider"; 5
authorizing a candidate to use funds on deposit in his 6
or her campaign account to pay for campaign-related 7
child care expenses under specified conditions; 8
requiring a candidate to maintain specified records 9
for a specified timeframe and provide such records to 10
the Division of Elections upon request; requiring a 11
candidate to disclose the use of campaign funds for 12
campaign-related child care expenses in his or her 13
regular campaign finance reports; providing an 14
effective date. 15
16
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17
18
Section 1. Section 106.1405, Florida Statutes, is amended 19
to read: 20
106.1405 Use of campaign funds.— 21
(1) As used in this section, the term: 22
(a) "Campaign-related child care expenses" means the costs 23
associated with the care of a candidate's dependent child due to 24
campaign activities, such as participating in campaign events, 25

HB 361 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb361-00
Page 2 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

canvassing, participating in debates, and meeting with 26
constituents or donors. 27
(b) "Eligible child care provider" means any individual or 28
licensed organization that provides child care services, 29
including center-based, family-based, and in-home care, for 30
compensation, is legally operating under state law, and complies 31
with all applicable state and local requirements for the 32
provision of child care services. 33
(2) A candidate or the spouse of a candidate may not use 34
funds on deposit in a campaign account of such candidate to 35
defray normal living expenses for the candidate or the 36
candidate's family, other than expenses actually incurred for 37
transportation, meals, and lodging by the candidate or a family 38
member during travel in the course of the campaign. 39
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), a candidate may use 40
funds on deposit in his or her campaign account to pay for 41
campaign-related child care expenses if the expense would not 42
exist were it not for the candidate's campaign and if the 43
following conditions are met: 44
(a) Campaign funds may not be used for child care expenses 45
unrelated to campaign activities, such as personal errands or 46
routine child care. 47
(b) The candidate maintains and provides to the division, 48
upon request, clear records of all campaign-related child care 49
expenses reimbursed by campaign funds, including dates, times, 50

HB 361 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb361-00
Page 3 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

and descriptions of campaign events in which the candidate 51
engaged. 52
1. Receipts or invoices from the eligible child care 53
provider, along with proof of payment, must be maintained for 54
auditing purposes for at least 3 years after the campaign ends. 55
2. A candidate shall disclose the use of campaign funds 56
for campaign-related child care expenses in his or her regular 57
campaign finance reports, specifying the amounts and dates of 58
such expenses. 59
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 60