PACs

PACs contributing to state candidates are required to register and file campaign financial disclosure reports with the Registry of Election Finance.

For more information, please refer to the PAC FAQs.

Notice to All Multi-Candidate Political Campaign Committees (PACs)

Effective July 1, 2022, the following legislative changes will become effective, pursuant to Public Chapter 1087 (2022):

·         Every PAC must certify the name and address of all officers of the PAC and all persons who directly control expenditures.  Each PAC must have at least one (1) officer, not including the treasurer, and must have at least one (1) person who directly controls expenditures.

·         Any PAC that registers after July 1, 2022 must also submit evidence of identification for each officer, each person who directly controls expenditures, and the treasurer of the PAC prior to the PAC making any expenditures or receiving any contributions.  For any PAC in existence as of April 28, 2022, the PAC must submit this evidence of identification no later than January 31, 2023.

·         Any changes to appointments for officers, treasurers, or persons who directly control expenditures must be reported to the Registry by filing a new Appointment of Political Treasurer and Officers form within thirty (30) days of the change.

·         Each individual who directly controls expenditures for a PAC and each candidate who was named as an officer or who directly or constructively controlled expenditures for a PAC will be personally liable for any civil penalty assessed by the Registry of Election Finance.

·         Any civil penalty for a Class 2 Offense cannot be paid using PAC funds.

·         All PACs are required, in addition to other reports required to be filed with the Registry of Election Finance by Tennessee’s campaign finance statutes, to report to the Registry or the county election commission, whichever is required by T.C.A. § 2-10-105(a) and (b), detailed information on certain defined contributions and expenditures incurred “[d]uring the period beginning at twelve o’clock (12:00) midnight of the tenth day prior to a primary, general, runoff or special election or a referendum and extending through twelve o’clock (12:00) midnight of each election or referendum day.” The filing of a report is triggered if a contribution or expenditure equals or exceeds $5,000 in the election of a candidate for statewide office, $3,000 in the election of a candidate for the Tennessee Senate, or $1,000 in the election of any other State or local public office. Each required report “shall be filed by the end of the next business day following the day on which the contribution or expenditure to be reported is received or made.” Any report filed with the Registry will be posted to the Registry’s website as soon as is practicable.  Reports filed with a local election commission “must be posted on the website of the commission as soon as practicable, if the commission otherwise posts campaign finance reports.”

·         The requirement to maintain segregated campaign accounts no longer applies to MPCCs which are not candidate controlled.  (Public Chapter 108, 2023).

·         Effective April 4, 2023, where civil penalties are unpaid by a political campaign committee within 30 days following the date of an order, the treasurer and the officers of the political campaign committee listed on the forms on file with the registry pursuant to § 2-10-105(e) at the time the conduct that gave rise to the civil penalty occurred are ineligible to qualify for election to a state or local public office until the penalty is paid. (Public Chapter 108, 2023).

·         Effective April 4, 2023, the annual PAC registration fee is abolished.  (Public Chapter 108, 2023).

·         Effective July 1, 2023, all local political campaign committees must register with the Registry of Election Finance and file all campaign financial disclosure statements with the Registry of Election Finance. (Public Chapter 59, 2023).

Effective January 1, 2024, the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance will move to communicating with all filers primarily through email and, alternatively, through regular mail.  Please be looking for more information about implementing this change and ensure that your contact information is up to date at all times.  (Public Chapter 38, 2023)