Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 18 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Sen. McCay, Daniel

Final action

Governor Signed 3/24/2025

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• exempts a campaign contribution for federal office, made by a person other than a lobbyist or principal, from the prohibition on campaign contributions during a legislative session or the time period when the governor may veto a bill;
• makes it a crime to make a federal contribution with the intent to influence the governor or a state official to take or not take an action or to reward the governor or a state official for taking or not taking an action; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

3
36-11-305
0
Election Fundraising Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Daniel McCay
House Sponsor: Bridger Bolinder
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions relating to prohibited campaign contributions.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
defines terms;
exempts a campaign contribution for federal office, made by a person other than a 
lobbyist or principal, from the prohibition on campaign contributions during a legislative 
session or the time period when the governor may veto a bill;
makes it a crime to make a federal contribution with the intent to influence the governor 
or a state official to take or not take an action or to reward the governor or a state official 
for taking or not taking an action; and
makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
36-11-305
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 139
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
36-11-305
 is amended to read:
36-11-305
. Campaign contribution during session or veto period prohibited -- 
Exceptions related to federal campaigns -- Federal contribution intended to influence 
governor or state official prohibited.
(1)
As used in this section:
(a)
"Federal campaign contribution" means a contribution made for a campaign for 
federal office to:
(i)
a state official who is a candidate for federal office; or
(ii)
a governor who is a candidate for federal office.
(b)
(i)
"State campaign contribution" means a contribution, as defined in Section 
20A-11-101
.
(ii)
"State campaign contribution" does not include a federal campaign contribution.
(c)
"State official" means:
(i)
a member of the Utah Senate or the Utah House of Representatives;
(ii)
the lieutenant governor;
(iii)
the attorney general;
(iv)
the state auditor; or
(v)
the state treasurer.
(1)
(2)
It is unlawful for a person, lobbyist, principal, or political committee to make a 
state 
campaign contribution
 to
, or 
to 
contract, promise, or agree to make a 
state 
campaign contribution
,
 to
,
 any of the following during the time the Legislature is 
convened in annual general session, veto override session, or special session:
(a)
(i)
a legislator;
(ii)
the lieutenant governor;
(iii)
the attorney general;
(iv)
the state auditor; or
(v)
the state treasurer;
(a)
a state official;
(b)
the personal campaign committee of 
an individual described in Subsection 
(1)(a)
a 
state official
; or
(c)
a political action committee controlled by a 
person described in Subsection 
(1)(a)
state official
. 
(3)
It is unlawful for a lobbyist or principal to make a federal campaign contribution to, or 
to contract, promise, or agree to make a federal campaign contribution to, any of the 
following during the time the Legislature is convened in annual general session, veto 
override session, or special session:
(a)
a state official who is running for federal office;
(b)
a federal campaign committee of a person described in Subsection (3)(a); or
(c)
a political committee, as defined in 52 U.S.C. Sec. 30101, that is controlled by a 
person described in Subsection 
(3)(a)
.
(4)
It is unlawful for a person to make a federal campaign contribution to, or to contract, 
promise, or agree to make a federal campaign contribution to, a person described in 
Subsection 
(3)(a)
, (b), or (c), if the person makes the federal campaign contribution, 
contract, promise, or agreement with the intent to:
(a)
influence a state official to take or fail to take an action in the state official's capacity 
as a state official; or
(b)
reward a state official for taking or failing to take an action in the state official's 
capacity as a state official.
(2)
(5)
It is unlawful for a person, lobbyist, principal, or political committee to make a 
state 
campaign contribution
 to
, or 
to 
contract, promise, or agree to make a 
state 
campaign contribution
, to the governor, the governor's personal campaign committee, 
or a political action committee controlled by the governor
 to, any of the following
during the time the Legislature is convened in annual general session, veto override 
session, 
or 
special session, or during the time period established by the 
Utah 
Constitution, Article VII, Section 8
, for the governor to approve or veto bills passed by 
the Legislature in the annual general session
.
:
(a)
the governor;
(b)
the governor's personal campaign committee; or
(c)
a political action committee controlled by the governor.
(6)
It is unlawful for a lobbyist or principal to make a federal campaign contribution to, or 
to contract, promise, or agree to make a federal campaign contribution to, any of the 
following during the time the Legislature is convened in annual general session, veto 
override session, or special session, or during the time period established by the Utah 
Constitution, Article VII, Section 8, for the governor to approve or veto bills passed by 
the Legislature in the annual general session:
(a)
a governor who is running for federal office;
(b)
the governor's federal campaign committee; or
(c)
a political committee, as defined in 52 U.S.C. Sec. 30101, that is controlled by the 
governor.
(7)
It is unlawful for a person to make a federal campaign contribution to, or to contract, 
promise, or agree to make a federal campaign contribution to, a person described in 
Subsection 
(6)(a)
, (b), or (c), if the person makes the federal campaign contribution, 
contract, promise, or agreement with the intent to:
(a)
influence the governor to take or fail to take an action in the governor's capacity as 
governor; or
(b)
reward the governor for taking or failing to take an action in the governor's capacity 
as governor.
(3)
(8)
Any person who violates
A violation of
 this section is
 guilty of
 a class A 
misdemeanor.
Section 2. 
Effective date.
This bill takes effect on 
May 7, 2025
.
3-7-25 10:29 PM