S 1774: Prohibits contributions or donations to be made by hostile foreign nations in connection with a state or local election; makes a knowing violation of such provisions a class A felony, subject to an additional civil penalty equal to the contribution or donation amount plus a fine of up to ten thousand dollars.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1774 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE January 13, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. WALCZYK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to prohibited contrib- utions by hostile foreign nations in connection with a state or local election The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 14-100 of the election law is amended by adding a 2 new subdivision 18 to read as follows: 3 18. "hostile foreign nation" means the nation of Russia, China, Iran, 4 or North Korea, any governmental entity of any such nation or subdivi- 5 sion thereof, or any party, organization, group, or other entity with 6 operational ties to any such nation. 7 § 2. The election law is amended by adding a new section 14-116-a to 8 read as follows: 9 § 14-116-a. Prohibited contributions by hostile foreign nations. 1. 10 Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, it shall be unlaw- 11 ful for a hostile foreign nation, directly or indirectly, to make a 12 contribution or donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an 13 express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in 14 connection with a state or local election. 15 2. It shall be unlawful for a hostile foreign nation, directly or 16 indirectly, to make a contribution or donation to a constituted commit- 17 tee, independent expenditure committee, political committee, or party 18 committee. 19 3. It shall be unlawful for a hostile foreign nation, directly or 20 indirectly, to make an expenditure, independent expenditure, or 21 disbursement for a political communication. 22 4. It shall be unlawful for a person to knowingly solicit, accept, or 23 receive a contribution or donation described in subdivision one, two or 24 three of this section from a hostile foreign nation. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD05115-01-5 
 S. 1774 2 1 5. It shall be unlawful for a person who receives a contribution or 2 donation from a hostile foreign nation to use such contribution or 3 donation, directly or indirectly, for any of the purposes described in 4 subdivision one, two, or three of this section, or to contribute, 5 donate, transfer, or convey funds from such a contribution or donation 6 to another person for use for any of the purposes described in subdivi- 7 sion one, two, or three of this section. 8 6. Any person found in violation of this section shall be guilty of a 9 class A felony and shall be subject to a civil penalty equal to the 10 contribution or donation amount plus a fine of up to ten thousand 11 dollars, to be recoverable in a special proceeding or civil action to be 12 brought by the state board of elections chief enforcement counsel. 13 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.