§ 22-25-116 — Prohibition of foreign funding influencing statewide ballot measures

Wyoming § 22-25-116

• Jurisdiction: Wyoming
• Title 22: Elections
• Ch. 25: CAMPAIGN PRACTICES

Text

(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. 22-25-107(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. 22-25-106(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. 22-25-107(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.