Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 393 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Pierucci, Candice B.

Final action

House/ filed 3/7/2025

Outcome

Failed / filed without passage

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• prohibits a foreign national from making or attempting to make a contribution or an independent expenditure for a political purpose;
• prohibits a candidate, officeholder, or entity subject to campaign finance reporting requirements from knowingly soliciting, accepting, or receiving a contribution from a foreign national;
• requires a candidate, officeholder, or entity that receives contributions to annually certify to the lieutenant governor that the candidate, officeholder, or entity did not knowingly accept a contribution from a foreign national;
• requires each corporation or labor organization subject to campaign finance reporting requirements to certify that the corporation or labor organization is not a foreign national;
• requires a candidate, officeholder, or entity that receives a contribution from a foreign national to:
• immediately notify the lieutenant governor;
• return the contribution to the foreign national; and
• if the foreign national refuses to accept the return of the contribution, disperse the value of the contribution into the state's General Fund
• prohibits any person from aiding or facilitating a violation of the prohibitions described above;
• establishes a criminal penalty for a person who violates the provisions described above;
• requires the lieutenant governor to impose a civil penalty against a foreign national that makes a contribution or independent expenditure; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

18
20A-11-1801
20A-11-1802
Banning Foreign Funding in Ballot Propositions and Elections
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Candice B. Pierucci
Senate Sponsor: 
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill establishes provisions related to foreign financial influence in ballot propositions 
and elections. 
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
defines terms;
prohibits a foreign national from making a contribution, an expenditure for certain 
purposes, or an independent expenditure;
for an individual or entity subject to campaign finance reporting requirements, prohibits 
the individual or entity from knowingly soliciting, accepting, or receiving a contribution 
from a foreign national;
requires an individual or entity described above that receives a contribution from a 
foreign national to:
notify the lieutenant governor; and
disperse the value of the contribution into the state's General Fund;
prohibits any person from aiding or facilitating a violation of the prohibition described 
above;
establishes a criminal penalty for a person who violates the provisions described above; 
and
requires the lieutenant governor to impose a civil penalty against a foreign national that 
makes a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
ENACTS:
20A-11-1801
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
20A-11-1802
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
20A-11-1801
 is enacted to read:
18. Foreign Nationals
20A-11-1801. Definitions.
As used in this part:
(1)
"Campaign contribution" means the same as that term is defined in Section 
20A-11-1202
.
(2)
"Expenditure" means:
(a)
a purchase, payment, donation, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, gift of money, or 
anything of value;
(b)
an express, legally enforceable contract, promise, or agreement to make any 
purchase, payment, donation, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, gift of money, or 
anything of value;
(c)
a transfer of funds between a foreign national and a candidate's personal campaign 
committee;
(d)
a transfer of funds between a foreign national and a political issues committee; or
(e)
goods or services provided to or for the benefit of a candidate, a candidate's personal 
campaign committee, or a political issues committee for a political purpose at less 
than fair market value.
(3)
"Foreign government" means any government other than the government of:
(a)
the United States;
(b)
a state within the United States;
(c)
a territory or possession of the United States; or
(d)
a political subdivision of the United States.
(4)
"Foreign government-owned entity" means:
(a)
a corporation or other business organization in which a foreign government owns, 
holds, or controls 50% or more of the corporation's or business organization's equity, 
voting shares, membership units, or other applicable ownership interest; or
(b)
a restricted foreign entity.
(5)
"Foreign national" means:
(a)
and individual who is not:
(i)
a United States citizen; or
(ii)
a United States national under the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. Sec. 
1101 et seq.;
(b)
a foreign government;
(c)
a foreign government-owned entity; or
(d)
a restricted foreign entity.
(6)
"Independent expenditure" means the same as that term is defined in Section 
20A-11-1702
.
(7)
"Political purpose" means an act done with the intent or in a way to influence or intend 
to influence, directly or indirectly, any person to refrain from voting or to vote for or 
against:
(a)
a candidate for public office at any caucus, political convention, primary, or election; 
or
(b)
a judge standing for retention at any election.
(8)
"Proposed initiative" means an initiative proposed in an application filed under Section 
20A-7-202
 or 
20A-7-502
.
(9)
"Proposed referendum" means a referendum proposed in an application filed under 
Section 
20A-7-302
 or 
20A-7-602
.
(10)
"Restricted foreign entity" means the same as that term is defined in Subsection 
63G-6a-121
(1)(c).
Section 2, Section 
20A-11-1802
 is enacted to read:
20A-11-1802. Campaign financing by foreign national prohibited -- Penalties.
(1)
A foreign national may not make, directly or indirectly, any of the following:
(a)
a campaign contribution;
(b)
a political issues contribution;
(c)
an expenditure for a political purpose, to influence a ballot proposition, or to 
influence a proposed initiative or proposed referendum; or
(d)
an independent expenditure.
(2)
(a)
A filing entity may not knowingly solicit, accept, or receive a campaign 
contribution or political issues contribution from a foreign national.
(b)
A person may not knowingly aid or facilitate a violation of Subsection 
(1)
.
(3)
A filing entity that believes or has reason to believe that the filing entity received a 
campaign contribution or political issues contribution from a foreign national shall:
(a)
immediately notify the lieutenant governor; and
(b)
disperse the amount of the campaign contribution or political issues contribution, or, 
for an in-kind contribution, the reasonable value of the campaign contribution or 
political issues contribution, in dollars, to the treasurer of the state for deposit into the 
General Fund.
(4)
(a)
A person who violates this section is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
(b)
The lieutenant governor shall report all violations of this section to the attorney 
general.
(5)
(a)
In addition to the criminal penalty described in Subsection 
(4)
(a), the lieutenant 
governor shall impose a civil fine against a foreign national that violates Subsection 
(1) in an amount that is the greater of:
(i)
for a foreign national that is an individual:
(A)
$500; or
(B)
double the amount of the campaign contribution, political issues contribution, 
expenditure, or independent expenditure that constitutes the violation; or
(ii)
for a foreign national that is not an individual:
(A)
$1,000; or
(B)
triple the amount of the campaign contribution, political issues contribution, 
expenditure, or independent expenditure that constitutes the violation.
(b)
The lieutenant governor shall deposit a fine collected under Subsection 
(5)(a)
 into 
the General Fund.
Section 3. 
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on 
May 7, 2025
.
2-3-25 2:24 PM