Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Public Financing Act – House Bill

Bill Summary

• Under this act candidates for governor and lieutenant governor who voluntarily agree to campaign expenditure limits may receive public financing for their primary and general election campaigns. The act also imposes mandatory contribution limits.

Public Financing

• The maximum amount of public financing available to each candidate would be:

v Primary/governor                                                $5,500,000

v Primary/lieutenant governor                                 $2,000,000

v General/combined governor                                 $9,000,000

lieutenant governor candidacy

• Candidates who qualify for funding under this act would receive matching payments of $2 for each dollar of qualifying contributions
• If a major party candidate for governor chooses not to participate in the program the participating candidates will share equally in the public financing the non-participating candidate could have received.

Qualifying Contributions

• In order to qualify for public funding a candidate must raise the following amounts in qualifying contribution:

v Primary/governor                                                $225,000

v Primary/lieutenant governor                                 $100,000

v General/combined governor and                           $450,000

lieutenant governor candidacy

• Qualifying contributions must be made by individual residents of Pennsylvania

Spending Limits

• Candidates who receive public funding under this act would be required to abide by the following overall expenditure limits:

v Primary/governor                                                $9,000,000

v Primary/lieutenant governor                                 $3,000,000

v General/combined governor and                           $13,500,00

lieutenant governor candidacy

• If a major party candidate for governor does not participate in the program participating candidates will not be bound by expenditure limits

Contribution Limits

• Individuals and political committees may contribute no more than $5,000 for a candidate’s primary election and an additional $5,000 for his/her general election
• Candidates who accept public funding may contribute no more than $35,000 per election from personal funds.
• Contribution limits are mandatory regardless of whether candidates accept public financing.

Debates

• Any candidate who receives public funding would be required to participate in two primary debates and three general election debates

Funding of the Act

• The Act would be funded by a $5 voluntary check-off on state income tax returns and general fund appropriations.