Campaigns and Campaign Finance

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Ban on Foreign and Partially-Foreign Funded Political Contributions

This bill stops foreign organizations or U.S.-based groups that get money from abroad from giving to political campaigns in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

• Stops foreign entities and domestic ones with foreign funding from making contributions, including ads and training, for candidates or campaign committees.
• Does not allow the Senate Speaker, House Speaker, and Secretary of State to accept funds from foreign entities or partially-foreign funded U.S. groups.

Who It Names or Affects

• Political campaigns and candidates in Tennessee.
• Foreign organizations trying to influence elections.
• U.S.-based organizations that receive funding from foreign sources.
• The Senate Speaker, House Speaker, and Secretary of State.

Terms To Know

In-kind contributions

When someone gives something other than money to a campaign, like goods or services.

Domestic entities

Organizations based in the United States.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill did not pass and was stopped in committee.
• It does not specify what happens to existing foreign-funded contributions before it takes effect.

Official Summary Text

This bill prohibits an organization or
entit
y that is based in a country other than the United States
,
or that is based in the United States and receives funding from entities that are based in countries other than the United States
,

from
mak
ing
contributions, including in-kind contributions, to a c
andidate or a political campaign committee. This prohibition includes the promotion of the campaign or election through advertising, paying campaign workers, or providing training for campaign or election staff.

This bill prohibits
the speaker of the se
nate and the speaker of the house of representatives
from
approv
ing
the acceptance of funding from an organization or entity that is based in a country other than the United States

or that is based in the United States and receives funding from entities th
at are based in countries other than the United States.

This bill prohibits the secretary of state from
approv
ing
the acceptance of funding from an organization or entity that is based in a country other than the United States or that is based in the Uni
ted States and receives funding from entities that are based in countries other than the United States.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 611
By Rudd

SENATE BILL 1047
By Bowling

SB1047
002017
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2 and
Title 3, relative to elections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 10, Part 3, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) An organization or entity that is based in a country other than the United
States or that is based in the United States and receives funding from entities that are
based in countries other than the United States shall not make contributions, including
in-kind contributions, to a candidate or a political campaign committee. This prohibition
includes the promotion of the campaign or election through advertising, paying campaign
workers, or providing training for campaign or election staff.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-11-114(a), is amended by
designating the existing language as subdivision (1) and adding the following as a new
subdivision:
(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (a)(1), the speaker of the senate and the
speaker of the house of representatives shall not approve the acceptance of funding
from an organization or entity that is based in a country other than the United States or
that is based in the United States and receives funding from entities that are based in
countries other than the United States.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-12-118(a), is amended by
designating the existing language as subdivision (1) and adding the following as a new
subdivision:

- 2 - 002017

(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (a)(1), the secretary of state or the secretary's
designee shall not approve the acceptance of funding from an organization or entity that
is based in a country other than the United States or that is based in the United States
and receives funding from entities that are based in countries other than the United
States.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.