HB 16

                        LAWS OF ALASKA
                                      2026
Source  Chapter No.
CSHB 16(STA) am S(efd fld H)  _______
                                      AN ACT
Requiring a group supporting or opposing a candidate or ballot proposition in a state or local
election to maintain an address in the state; amending campaign contribution limits for state
and local office; directing the Alaska Public Offices Commission to adjust campaign
contribution limits for state and local office once each decade beginning in 2031; relating to
campaign contribution reporting requirements; relating to administrative complaints filed with
the Alaska Public Offices Commission; and relating to state election expenditures and
contributions made by a foreign-influenced corporation or foreign national.
                                 _______________
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
                        THE ACT FOLLOWS ON PAGE 1
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                                           AN ACT
1  Requiring a group supporting or opposing a candidate or ballot proposition in a state or local
2  election to maintain an address in the state; amending campaign contribution limits for state
3  and local office; directing the Alaska Public Offices Commission to adjust campaign
4  contribution limits for state and local office once each decade beginning in 2031; relating to
5  campaign contribution reporting requirements; relating to administrative complaints filed with
6  the Alaska Public Offices Commission; and relating to state election expenditures and
7  contributions made by a foreign-influenced corporation or foreign national.
8_______________
9   * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section
10 to read:
11LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The legislature finds that the people of the state believe
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1  that political power and influence with public officials should not be allocated solely based on
2  wealth. Instead, reasonable limits on the amount of campaign contributions are necessary to
3  secure equal rights for Alaskans and to preserve the integrity of our elections.
4   * Sec. 2. AS 15.13.050(a) is amended to read:
5(a) Before making an expenditure in support of or in opposition to a candidate
6or before making an expenditure in support of or in opposition to a ballot proposition or
7question or to an initiative proposal application filed with the lieutenant governor under
8AS 15.45.020, each person other than an individual shall
9(1)   register, on forms provided by the commission, with the
10commission; and
11(2) provide the person's physical address in the state or the physical
12address of the person's agent registered under (d) of this section.
13  * Sec. 3. AS 15.13.050 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
14(d) A person may not register under (a) of this section unless the person has a
15physical address in the state or registers with the commission an individual resident of
16the state who maintains a physical address in the state or a domestic corporation
17authorized to transact business in this state as the person's agent. A person shall notify
18the commission within 10 days after a change to the person's in-state address, registered
19agent, or the physical address of the person's registered agent.
20  * Sec. 4. AS 15.13.070(b) is amended to read:
21(b) Except as provided in (h) of this section, an [AN] individual may
22contribute not more than
23(1) $2,000 each election cycle [$500 PER YEAR] to a nongroup entity
24for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, to a candidate,
25or to an individual who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate [, OR TO A
26GROUP THAT IS NOT A POLITICAL PARTY];
27(2) $5,000 each [PER] year to a political party or other group.
28  * Sec. 5. AS 15.13.070(c) is amended to read:
29(c) Except as provided in (h) of this section, a [A] group that is not a political
30party may contribute not more than [$1,000 PER YEAR]
31(1) $4,000 each election cycle to a candidate [,] or to an individual who
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1conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate;
2(2) $5,000 each year to another group, to a nongroup entity, or to a
3political party.
4  * Sec. 6. AS 15.13.070(f) is amended to read:
5(f) Except as provided in (h) of this section, a [A] nongroup entity may
6contribute not more than
7(1) $4,000 each election cycle [$1,000 A YEAR] to another nongroup
8entity for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of a candidate, to a
9candidate, or to an individual who conducts a write-in campaign as a candidate;
10(2) $5,000 each year [, TO A GROUP, OR] to a political party or other
11      group.
12 * Sec. 7. AS 15.13.070(g) is amended to read:
13(g)   Where contributions are made to a joint campaign for governor and
14      lieutenant governor,
15(1) an individual may contribute not more than $4,000 each election
16      cycle [$1,000 PER YEAR]; and
17(2) a group may contribute not more than $8,000 each election cycle
18      [$2,000 PER YEAR].
19 * Sec. 8. AS 15.13.070 is amended by adding new subsections to read:
20(h) The contribution limits set out in (b)(1), (c)(2), and (f) of this section do not
21      apply to an individual, group, or nongroup entity contributing to a group or nongroup
22      entity that makes only independent expenditures.
23(i) Beginning in the first quarter of calendar year 2031 and once every 10 years
24      thereafter, the commission shall by regulation adjust the contribution limits set out in
25      this section by a percentage equal to the percentage of increase over the preceding 10-
26      year period in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for urban Alaska
27      prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, rounded
28      to the nearest $50 increment.
29 * Sec. 9. AS 15.13.110(i) is amended to read:
30(i) During an election cycle [A CAMPAIGN PERIOD], the commission may
31      not change the manner or format in which reports required of a candidate under this
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1chapter must be filed. [IN THIS SUBSECTION, "CAMPAIGN PERIOD" MEANS
2THE PERIOD BEGINNING ON THE DATE THAT A CANDIDATE BECOMES
3ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER THIS
4CHAPTER AND ENDING ON THE DATE THAT A FINAL REPORT FOR THAT
5SAME CAMPAIGN MUST BE FILED.]
6   * Sec. 10. AS 15.13.380(e) is amended to read:
7(e) If the commission accepts the complaint for consideration on a regular rather
8than an expedited basis, the commission shall notify the respondent within seven days
9after receiving the complaint and shall investigate the complaint. The commission shall
10complete an investigation under this section within 90 days after the date the
11commission receives the complaint unless the commission extends the investigation
12for good cause. The respondent may answer the complaint by filing a written response
13with the commission within 15 days after the commission notifies the respondent of the
14complaint. The commission may grant the respondent additional time to respond to the
15complaint only for good cause. The commission shall hold a hearing on the complaint
16not later than 45 days after the respondent's written response is due. Not later than 10
17days after the hearing, the commission shall issue its order. If the commission finds that
18the respondent has engaged in or is about to engage in an act or practice that constitutes
19or will constitute a violation of this chapter or a regulation adopted under this chapter,
20the commission shall enter an order requiring the violation to be ceased or to be
21remedied and shall assess civil penalties under AS 15.13.390.
22  * Sec. 11. AS 15.13.380 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
23(l) Beginning 50 days after a complaint is filed, the commission shall provide
24to the complainant a report on the status of the commission's investigation at least every
2510 days.
26  * Sec. 12. AS 15.13.400 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read:
27(20) "election cycle" means the period beginning on the date that a
28candidate becomes eligible to receive campaign contributions under this chapter and
29ending on the date that a final report for that same campaign must be filed.
30  * Sec. 13. AS 15.13.068(b) and 15.13.068(c) are repealed.
31  * Sec. 14. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to
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1 read:
2APPLICABILITY. This Act does not apply to contributions made to influence the
3 outcome of an election that occurred before the effective date of this Act.
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