Election Law - Campaign Finance - Exploratory Committees

SB 65 clarifies rules for "exploratory committees," which potential candidates form to test their viability for office before officially running. It removes contribution limits for these committees (meaning donors can give any amount) but restricts their spending to specific activities like polls, mailings, staff, websites, and office equipment. If a candidate later creates an official campaign committee, they must buy any equipment from the exploratory committee at fair market value. Any leftover funds must be returned to donors or designated organizations within 120 days, either pro-rata to contributors or to a political party, nonprofit, or campaign fund. The bill applies existing campaign finance rules to exploratory committees while creating specific allowances for their temporary use.