File #: Int 1409-2025    Version: * Name: Increasing expenditure limits for candidates in response to independent expenditures exceeding certain thresholds.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Governmental Operations, State & Federal Legislation
On agenda: 10/9/2025
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to increasing expenditure limits for candidates in response to independent expenditures exceeding certain thresholds
Sponsors: Diana I. Ayala, Keith Powers , Carlina Rivera , Lincoln Restler, Frank Morano
Council Member Sponsors: 4
Summary: This bill would increase expenditure limits for candidates participating in the City’s campaign finance program if independent expenditures in an election exceed certain levels. Under the bill, when independent expenditures exceed 50 percent of the expenditure limit in a covered election, the expenditure limit for all candidates in that election would increase by 50 percent. When independent expenditures exceed 100 percent of the expenditure limit in a covered election, the expenditure limit for all candidates in that election would be lifted completely.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1409, 2. Int. No. 1409, 3. October 9, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda

Int. No. 1409

 

By Council Members Ayala, Powers, Rivera, Restler and Morano

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to increasing expenditure limits for candidates in response to independent expenditures exceeding certain thresholds

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 3-706 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as amended by local law number 128 for the year 2019, is amended by adding new paragraphs (c) and (d) to read as follows: 

(c) If the campaign finance board has determined that independent expenditures, as such term is defined in paragraph 15 of subdivision a of section 1052 of the charter, in a single covered election in the aggregate exceed 50 percent of the applicable expenditure limit for any participating candidate or limited participating candidate in such election as fixed by subdivision 1 of this section, then the expenditure limit applicable to such participating candidate and limited participating candidate in such election shall be increased to 150 percent of the limit.

(d) If the campaign finance board has determined that independent expenditures, as such term is defined in paragraph 15 of subdivision a of section 1052 of the charter, in a single covered election in the aggregate exceed the applicable expenditure limit for any participating candidate or limited participating candidate in such election as fixed by subdivision 1 of this section, then the expenditure limit shall no longer apply to such participating candidate or limited participating candidate in such election.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.

RL

LS #18464/1689/1942/18463

1/16/2025 10:19 AM