SB0414 • 2026

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: Bracy Davis
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: Senate - Died in Ethics and Elections
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific details on what constitutes 'detailed records' beyond the requirement for clear records and documentation.

Using Campaign Money for Child Care

This law allows candidates to use their campaign money to pay for child care when they are busy with election activities.

What This Bill Does

Defines 'campaign-related child care expenses' as costs for taking care of a candidate's children due to the candidate's involvement in campaign activities like events, canvassing, debates, and meetings with constituents or donors.
Explains that an 'eligible child care provider' must be someone who legally provides child care services and follows state rules.
Allows candidates to use their campaign money to pay for child care if it is needed only because they are doing campaign work.
Requires candidates to keep clear records of all child care expenses paid with campaign funds, including dates, times, and details about the campaign activities involved.
Needs candidates to show receipts or invoices from the child care provider along with proof of payment for at least three years after the campaign ends.

Who It Names or Affects

Candidates running in elections
Child care providers who take care of a candidate's children during campaign events

Terms To Know

Campaign-related child care expenses: Money spent on taking care of a candidate’s children due to the candidate’s involvement in election activities.
Eligible child care provider: A person or organization that legally provides child care services and follows state rules.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not cover normal living expenses for the candidate's family.
This law only applies to candidates who are running in elections.

Bill History

2026-03-13 Senate
• Died in Ethics and Elections
2026-01-13 Senate
• Introduced
2026-01-08 Senate
• On Committee agenda-- Ethics and Elections, 01/13/26, 4:00 pm, 37 Senate Building --Temporarily Postponed
2025-11-17 Senate
• Referred to Ethics and Elections; Judiciary; Rules
2025-11-06 Senate
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Use of Campaign Funds for Campaign-related Child Care Expenses; Authorizing a candidate to use funds on deposit in his or her campaign account to pay for campaign-related child care expenses under specified conditions; requiring a candidate to maintain specified records for a specified timeframe and provide such records to the Division of Elections upon request; requiring a candidate to disclose the use of campaign funds for campaign-related child care expenses in his or her regular campaign finance reports, etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 414

By
Senator Bracy Davis

15-00596-26 2026414__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to use of campaign funds for campaign
3 related child care expenses; amending s. 106.1405,
4 F.S.; defining the terms “campaign-related child care
5 expenses” and “eligible child care provider”;
6 authorizing a candidate to use funds on deposit in his
7 or her campaign account to pay for campaign-related
8 child care expenses under specified conditions;
9 requiring a candidate to maintain specified records
10 for a specified timeframe and provide such records to
11 the Division of Elections upon request; requiring a
12 candidate to disclose the use of campaign funds for
13 campaign-related child care expenses in his or her
14 regular campaign finance reports; providing an
15 effective date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Section 106.1405, Florida Statutes, is amended
20 to read:
21 106.1405 Use of campaign funds.—
22
(1)

As used in this section, the term:

23
(a)

“Campaign-related child care expenses” means the costs

24
associated with the care of a candidate’s dependent child due to

25
campaign activities, such as participating in campaign events,

26
canvassing, participating in debates, and meeting with

27
constituents or donors.

28
(b)

“Eligible child care provider” means any individual or

29
licensed organization that provides child care services,

30
including center-based, family-based, and in-home care, for

31
compensation; is legally operating under state law; and complies

32
with all applicable state and local requirements for the

33
provision of child care services.

34
(2)
A candidate or the spouse of a candidate may not use
35 funds on deposit in a campaign account of such candidate to
36 defray normal living expenses for the candidate or the
37 candidate’s family, other than expenses actually incurred for
38 transportation, meals, and lodging by the candidate or a family
39 member during travel in the course of the campaign.
40
(3)

Notwithstanding subsection (2), a candidate may use

41
funds on deposit in his or her campaign account to pay for

42
campaign-related child care expenses if the expense would not

43
exist were it not for the candidate’s campaign and if the

44
following conditions are met:

45
(a)

Campaign funds may not be used for child care expenses

46
unrelated to campaign activities, such as personal errands or

47
routine child care.

48
(b)

The candidate maintains and provides to the division,

49
upon request, clear records of all campaign-related child care

50
expenses reimbursed by campaign funds, including dates, times,

51
and descriptions of campaign events in which the candidate

52
engaged.

53
1.

Receipts or invoices from the eligible child care

54
provider, along with proof of payment, must be maintained for

55
auditing purposes for at least 3 years after the campaign ends.

56
2.

A candidate shall disclose the use of campaign funds for

57
campaign-related child care expenses in his or her regular

58
campaign finance reports, specifying the amounts and dates of

59
such expenses.

60 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.