Civil penalties now in place for late or inaccurate campaign reports
Wednesday is the deadline for political candidates to file their first monthly campaign finance reports of the 2018 election cycle showing who contributed to their campaigns and how they spent the money.
For the first time, candidates who file late or inaccurate reports will face civil fines.
A bill passed by the Legislature in 2015 gave the secretary of state, probate judges and the Ethics Commission the authority to levy fines if reports are late or inaccurate, effective with the 2018 cycle.
That bill, by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, made other changes to the Fair Campaign Practices Act, including giving the Ethics Commission the authority to investigate violations of the act.
Read more: http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2017/07/civil_penalties_now_in_place_f.html