Sec 16-905. Contribution limitations; civil penalty; complaint; reductions

A. For an election other than for a statewide office, a contributor shall not give and an exploratory committee, a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee shall not accept contributions of more than:

1. For an election for a legislative office, six thousand two hundred fifty dollars per election cycle from an individual.

2. For an election other than for a legislative office, six thousand two hundred fifty dollars per election cycle from an individual.

3. For an election for a legislative office, six thousand two hundred fifty dollars per election cycle from a single political committee, excluding a political party, not certified under subsection G of this section to make contributions at the higher limits prescribed by paragraph 5 of this subsection and subsection B, paragraph 3 of this section.

4. For an election other than for a legislative office, six thousand two hundred fifty dollars per election cycle from a single political committee, excluding a political party, not certified under subsection G of this section to make contributions at the higher limits prescribed by subsection B, paragraph 3 of this section.

5. Twelve thousand five hundred dollars per election cycle from a single political committee that is certified pursuant to subsection G of this section, excluding a political party.

6. Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars per election cycle from a single partnership. Contributions from a partnership shall be allocated to the individual partners who are contributing, as designated by the partnership. Partnership contributions from designated partners shall be combined with other contributions by that individual partner to the same recipient and are subject to the limits on an individual prescribed by this section. Nonpartnership monies that are contributed by an individual shall not be counted against the partnership contribution limit for that same recipient.

B. For an election for a statewide office, a contributor shall not give and an exploratory committee, a candidate or a candidate's committee shall not accept contributions of more than:

1. Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars per election cycle from an individual.

2. Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars per election cycle from a single political committee, excluding a political party, not certified under subsection G of this section to make contributions at the higher limits prescribed by subsection A, paragraph 5 of this section and paragraph 3 of this subsection.

3. Twelve thousand five hundred dollars per election cycle from a single political committee that is certified pursuant to subsection G of this section, excluding a political party.

4. Six thousand two hundred fifty dollars per election cycle from a single partnership. Contributions from a partnership shall be allocated to the individual partners who are contributing, as designated by the partnership. Partnership contributions from designated partners shall be combined with other contributions by that individual partner to the same recipient and are subject to the limits on an individual prescribed by this section. Nonpartnership monies that are contributed by an individual shall not be counted against the partnership contribution limit for that same recipient.

C. A candidate may accept contributions from political committees, excluding political parties, as otherwise prescribed in this section and a candidate is not restricted as to the aggregate total that a candidate may lawfully receive from all political committees, excluding political parties.

D. A nominee of a political party shall not accept contributions from all political parties or political organizations combined totaling more than ten thousand dollars for an election for an office other than a statewide office, and one hundred thousand dollars for an election for a statewide office.

E. An individual may make contributions as otherwise prescribed by this section, and an individual is not restricted as to the aggregate total that an individual may give. An individual may make an otherwise lawful contribution using personal monies contained in a revocable trust, which shall be reported as an individual contribution and which is subject to the limits on an individual contribution.

F. A candidate's campaign committee or an individual's exploratory committee shall not make a loan and shall not transfer or contribute money to any other campaign or exploratory committee that is designated pursuant to this chapter or 52 United States Code section 30101 except as follows:

1. An exploratory committee may transfer monies to a subsequent candidate's campaign committee of the individual designating the exploratory committee, subject to the limits of subsection B of this section.

2. A candidate's campaign committee may transfer or contribute monies to another campaign committee designated by the same candidate as follows:

(a) Subject to the contribution limits of this section per contributor, transfer or contribute monies in the aggregate from one committee to another if both committees have been designated for an election in the same year including to a committee for another office or in another jurisdiction.

(b) Without application of the contribution limits of this section, transfer or contribute monies from one committee to another designated for an election in a subsequent year.

G. Only political committees that received monies from five hundred or more individuals in amounts of ten dollars or more in the two year period immediately before application to the secretary of state for qualification as a political committee pursuant to this section may make contributions to candidates under subsection A, paragraph 5 of this section and subsection B, paragraph 3 of this section. The secretary of state shall obtain information necessary to make the determination that a committee meets the requirements of this subsection and shall provide written certification of the fact to the committee. A political committee certification is valid for four years. A candidate's campaign committee shall not accept a contribution pursuant to this subsection unless it is accompanied by a copy of the certification. All political committees that do not meet the requirements of this subsection are subject to the individual campaign contribution limits of subsection A, paragraphs 1 and 2 of this section and subsection B, paragraph 1 of this section.

H. The secretary of state biennially shall adjust to the nearest ten dollars the amounts in subsections A through E of this section by the percentage change in the consumer price index and publish the new amounts for distribution to election officials, candidates and campaign committees. For the purposes of this subsection, "consumer price index" means the consumer price index for all urban consumers, United States city average, that is published by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics.

I. The following specific limitations and procedures apply:

1. The limits of subsections A through E of this section apply to each election cycle for any office or offices that the candidate seeks.

2. The limits of subsections A and B of this section apply to the total contributions from all separate segregated funds established, as provided in section 16-920, by a corporation, labor organization, trade association, cooperative or corporation without capital stock.

3. A contribution by an unemancipated minor child shall be treated as a contribution by the child's custodial parent or parents for determining compliance with subsection A, paragraphs 1 and 2, subsection B, paragraph 1 and subsection E of this section.

4. A contribution by an individual or a single political committee to two or more candidates in connection with a joint fund-raising effort shall be divided among the candidates in direct proportion to each candidate campaign committee's share of the expenses for the fund-raising effort.

5. A candidate shall sign and file with the candidate's nomination paper a statement that the candidate has read all applicable laws relating to campaign financing and reporting.

6. After the general election, all contributions may be combined for use in a subsequent election cycle.

7. An individual or political committee shall not use economic influence to induce members of an organization to make contributions to a candidate, collect contributions from members of an organization for transmittal to a candidate, make payments to candidates for public appearances or services that are ordinarily uncompensated or use any similar device to circumvent any of the limitations of this section.

J. A person who violates this section is subject to a civil penalty imposed as prescribed in section 16-924 of three times the amount of money that has been received, expended or promised in violation of this section or three times the value in money for an equivalent of money or other things of value that have been received, expended or promised in violation of this section.

K. Any qualified elector may file a sworn complaint with the attorney general or the county attorney of the county in which a violation of this section is believed to have occurred, and the attorney general or the county attorney shall investigate the complaint for possible action.

L. If the filing officer, attorney general or county attorney fails to institute an action within forty-five working days after receiving a complaint under subsection K of this section, the individual filing the complaint may bring a civil action in the individual's own name and at the individual's own expense, with the same effect as if brought by the filing officer, attorney general or county attorney. The individual shall execute a bond payable to the defendant if the individual fails to prosecute the action successfully. The court shall award to the prevailing party costs and reasonable attorney fees.

M. If a provision of this section or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the section that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this section are severable.

N. The use of a candidate's personal monies, or the use of personal monies by an individual who designates an exploratory committee, is not subject to the limitations of this section.

O. For any statewide or legislative candidate who is not participating in the citizens clean elections act funding system established pursuant to article 2 of this chapter:

1. Complaints and investigations relating to an alleged violation of this article are subject only to the jurisdiction, penalties and procedures established pursuant to this article and the enforcement and investigative authority of the secretary of state and attorney general.

2. The citizens clean elections commission has no authority to accept, investigate or otherwise act on any complaint involving an alleged violation of this article.