HB 393 Utah House · 2025 General Session

Banning Foreign Funding in Ballot Propositions and Elections

HB 393 prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to or influencing Utah elections through ballot initiatives or candidate campaigns. It directly affects candidates, officeholders, and campaign entities required to file financial reports by banning them from knowingly accepting foreign funds. Key provisions require annual certifications confirming no foreign contributions were accepted, immediate notification and return of foreign funds (or dispersal into the state General Fund if refused), and criminal/civil penalties for violations. The bill amends Utah’s campaign finance laws to define foreign influence and establish enforcement mechanisms, with no new funding required.

Bill status passed 3 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

Governor

Introduced Feb 4, 2025 Last action Mar 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Substitute #1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill was revised to expand its scope from only prohibiting foreign nationals from contributing to adding requirements for candidates and entities to certify they did not knowingly accept foreign contributions. The substitute version also changes the remedy for receiving foreign contributions from dispersing funds to the state to returning the contribution to the foreign national, and adds new requirements for corporations and labor organizations to certify they are not foreign nationals.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from primarily targeting foreign nationals to also imposing certification requirements on candidates, officeholders, and entities subject to campaign finance reporting, including corporations and labor organizations.

REQUIREMENT

Added annual certification requirements for candidates, officeholders, and entities to certify they did not knowingly accept contributions from foreign nationals.

Added requirement for corporations and labor organizations subject to campaign finance reporting to certify they are not foreign nationals.

ENFORCEMENT

Changed the remedy for receiving foreign contributions from dispersing funds to the state's General Fund to returning the contribution to the foreign national, with dispersal into the General Fund only if the foreign national refuses to accept the return.

Modified civil penalty provisions to apply only to foreign nationals making contributions or independent expenditures, removing the requirement for the lieutenant governor to report violations to the attorney general.

TECHNICAL

Changed Senate Sponsor from 'LONG TITLE' to 'Daniel McCay' and updated the list of affected Utah Code sections from 'ENACTS' to 'AMENDS' with additional sections.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

House/ passed 3rd reading

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

House/ committee report favorable

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Comm - Favorable Recommendation

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Committee

House/ to standing committee

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Introduced

House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor