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25LSO-0570
ORIGINAL House
Bill No
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HB0337
ENROLLED ACT NO. 61,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 General Session
AN ACT relating to elections; requiring groups, political action committees and organizations that are influencing a statewide initiative or referendum to file statements related to funding from prohibited sources; prohibiting a foreign national from controlling or influencing the decision making of a group, political action committee or organization influencing a statewide initiative or referendum; providing a cause of action; specifying penalties; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1.
W.S. 22
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202 and 22
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116 are created to read:
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202.
Prohibition of foreign funding influencing statewide ballot measures.
(a)
As used in this section:
(i)
"Foreign national" means as defined in 52 U.S.C. § 30121(b);
(ii)
"Prohibited source" means contributions from or expenditures by a foreign national;
(iii)
"Directly or indirectly" means acting either alone or jointly with, through or on behalf of any other committee, organization, person or entity.
(b)
No foreign national shall direct, control or otherwise directly or indirectly participate in the decision making of any group that is required to file with the secretary of state under W.S. 22
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201(a).
(c)
Each group of persons that is required to file with the secretary of state under W.S. 22
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201(a) shall file an accompanying certification regarding funding from prohibited sources as provided in this paragraph. The certification shall include the following statements:
(i)
That no expenditure of the group was knowingly, whether directly or indirectly, funded by a prohibited source;
(ii)
That the group shall not knowingly, whether directly or indirectly, receive, solicit or accept contributions or expenditures from a prohibited source in any manner;
(iii)
That the group will keep records of contributions and expenditures for a period of not less than five (5) years to enable the enforcement of this section.
(d)
For each contribution to a group of persons that is required to file with the secretary of state under W.S. 22
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201(a), before accepting the contribution the group shall obtain affirmation from the donor that the donor is not a foreign national and that the donor has not knowingly accepted, whether directly or indirectly, more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) in aggregate from prohibited sources in the immediately preceding four (4) year period.
(e)
The secretary of state may bring a civil action to enforce the provisions of this section. A violation of this section is subject to a civil penalty of up to twice the amount of any prohibited contribution or expenditure. The secretary of state may obtain injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent further violations of this section.
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116.
Prohibition of foreign funding influencing statewide ballot measures.
(a)
As used in this section:
(i)
"Directly or indirectly" means acting either alone or jointly with, through or on behalf of any committee, organization, person or entity;
(ii)
"Foreign national" means as defined in 52 U.S.C. § 30121(b);
(iii)
"Prohibited source" means contributions from or expenditures by a foreign national.
(b)
No foreign national shall direct, control or otherwise directly or indirectly participate in the decision making of any political action committee or organization supporting or opposing any statewide initiative or referendum petition drive. No foreign national shall solicit, directly or indirectly, the making of a donation, contribution or expenditure by another person to influence a ballot initiative.
(c)
Each political action committee or organization supporting or opposing any statewide initiative or referendum that is required to file reports with the secretary of state under W.S. 22
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107(a)(vii) shall file an accompanying certification regarding funding from prohibited sources as provided in this paragraph and each itemized statement of contributions and expenditures required by W.S. 22
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106(b) or (h). The certification shall include the following statements:
(i)
That no expenditure of the political action committee or organization was knowingly, whether directly or indirectly, funded by a prohibited source;
(ii)
That the political action committee or organization shall not knowingly, whether directly or indirectly, receive, solicit or accept contributions or expenditures from a prohibited source in any manner;
(iii)
That the political action committee or organization will keep records of contributions and expenditures for a period of not less than five (5) years to enable the enforcement of this section.
(d)
For each contribution to a political action committee or organization supporting or opposing any statewide initiative or referendum petition that is required to file reports with the secretary of state under W.S. 22
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107(a)(vii), before accepting the contribution the group shall obtain affirmation from the donor that the donor is not a foreign national and that the donor has not knowingly, whether directly or indirectly, accepted more than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) in aggregate from prohibited sources in the immediately preceding four (4) year period.
(e)
The secretary of state may bring a civil action to enforce the provisions of this section. A violation of this section is subject to a civil penalty of up to twice the amount of any prohibited contribution or expenditure. The secretary of state may obtain injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent further violations of this section.
Section 2
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This act is effective July 1, 2025
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(END)
Speaker of the House
President of the Senate
Governor
TIME APPROVED: _________
DATE APPROVED: _________
I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.
Chief Clerk
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