§ 6 — Restrictions on expenditures; penalties

Massachusetts § 6

• Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
• Part I: ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
• Title VIII: ELECTIONS
• Ch. 55: DISCLOSURE AND REGULATION OF CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES AND CONTRIBUTIONS

Text

Section 6. A political committee organized or operating on behalf of a candidate for the office of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state secretary, treasurer and receiver general or state auditor may receive, pay and expend money or other things of value for reasonable and necessary expenses directly related to the campaign of the candidate but shall not make any expenditure that is primarily for the candidate's or any other person's personal use. Any other political committee duly organized on behalf of a candidate may receive, pay and expend money or other things of value for the enhancement of the political future of the candidate or the principle for which the committee was organized; provided, however, that the expenditure shall not be primarily for the candidate's or any other person's personal use. The director shall establish reasonable rules and regulations concerning the expenditures.Any political committee duly organized on behalf of a candidate may contribute to other political committees and may contribute to the campaign fund of a candidate; provided, however, that the aggregate of all contributions made by a committee organized on behalf of a candidate to another nonelected political committee organized on behalf of a candidate shall not exceed $100 in any 1 calendar year.Notwithstanding the second paragraph, a political committee organized on behalf of a candidate for statewide office that receives public financing under chapter 55C may not contribute to another political committee or the campaign fund of a candidate in the calendar year in which the political committee receives public financing; provided, however, that a committee that receives public financing may expend funds to a political party committee for goods or services provided by the political party committee to the political committee organized on behalf of a candidate.Except as otherwise provided in section six A or six B, a political committee not organized on behalf of an individual candidate may contribute to another political committee not organized on behalf of an individual candidate; provided, however, that the aggregate of all such contributions for the benefit of the political committees of any one political party shall not exceed in any one calendar year the sum of five thousand dollars; and provided, further, that the aggregate of all such contributions for the benefit of any one such political committee other than a political party committee shall not exceed in any one calendar year the sum of five hundred dollars. A political committee not organized on behalf of an individual candidate, other than a political party committee, may contribute to the campaign fund of a candidate; provided, however, that the aggregate of all such contributions for the benefit of any one candidate and such candidate's committee shall not exceed the sum of five hundred dollars in any one calendar year. The political committee of a political party may contribute to the campaign fund of a candidate; provided, however, that the aggregate of all contributions of money for the benefit of any one candidate and the non-elected political committee organized on such candidate's behalf shall not exceed in any one calendar year the sum of three thousand dollars in the case of the state committee and the sum of one thousand dollars in the case of each town or ward committee. For the purposes of the limitations established by this section, all campaign contributions made by political committees established, financed, maintained or controlled by any person, including any parent committee of a subsidiary committee or any person other than a natural person, shall be considered to have been made by a single political committee. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit contributions to political committees which are otherwise prohibited by this chapter.Such committee may place such funds in a savings account or money market to earn interest thereon but may not invest its funds or other things of value in any other manner.[ Sixth paragraph effective until November 20, 2024. For text effective November 20, 2024, see below.]For the purposes of this section the term "personal use'' shall not include expenses relating to the provision of constituent or legislative services or to the opening or maintaining of a legislative district office, provided that (a) said expenses are not otherwise paid, provided or reimbursed by the commonwealth or any other governmental body.[ Sixth paragraph as amended by 2024, 238, Sec. 182 effective November 20, 2024. For text effective until November 20, 2024, see above.]For the purposes of this section the term "personal use'' shall not include expenses relating to the provision of childcare services, the provision of constituent or legislative services or to the opening or maintaining of a legislative district office, provided that (a) said expenses are not otherwise paid, provided or reimbursed by the commonwealth or any other governmental body.For purposes of this section the term "personal use'' shall include the payment of fines, penalties, restitution or damages incurred for a violation of chapters 268A and 268B, but shall not include payments made in relation to allegations of violations of such chapters.Violation of any provision of this section or section six A or six B shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.