(1) Any candidate; campaign manager, campaign treasurer, or deputy treasurer of any candidate; committee chair, vice chair, campaign treasurer, deputy treasurer, or other officer of any political committee; agent or person acting on behalf of any candidate or political committee; or other person who knowingly and willfully:
(a) Accepts a contribution in excess of the limits prescribed by s. 106.08;
(b) Fails to report any contribution required to be reported by this chapter;
(c) Falsely reports or deliberately fails to include any information required by this chapter; or
(d) Makes or authorizes any expenditure in violation of s. 106.11(4) or any other expenditure prohibited by this chapter;
is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(2) Any candidate, campaign treasurer, or deputy treasurer; any chair, vice chair, or other officer of any political committee; any agent or person acting on behalf of any candidate or political committee; or any other person who violates paragraph (1)(a), paragraph (1)(b), or paragraph (1)(d) shall be subject to a civil penalty equal to three times the amount involved in the illegal act. Such penalty may be in addition to the penalties provided by subsection (1) and shall be paid into the General Revenue Fund of this state.
(3) A political committee sponsoring a constitutional amendment proposed by initiative which submits a petition form gathered by a paid petition circulator which does not provide the name and address of the paid petition circulator on the form is subject to the civil penalties prescribed in s. 106.265.
(4) Except as otherwise expressly stated, the failure by a candidate to comply with the requirements of this chapter has no effect upon whether the candidate has qualified for the office the candidate is seeking.
History.—s. 19, ch. 73-128; s. 57, ch. 77-175; s. 62, ch. 79-400; s. 12, ch. 91-107; s. 649, ch. 95-147; ss. 24, 45, ch. 97-13; s. 8, ch. 2002-197; s. 11, ch. 2006-300; s. 69, ch. 2011-40; s. 35, ch. 2013-37.
Structure Florida Statutes
Title IX - Electors and Elections
Chapter 106 - Campaign Financing
106.021 - Campaign Treasurers; Deputies; Primary and Secondary Depositories.
106.022 - Appointment of a Registered Agent; Duties.
106.023 - Statement of Candidate.
106.025 - Campaign Fund Raisers.
106.03 - Registration of Political Committees and Electioneering Communications Organizations.
106.05 - Deposit of Contributions; Statement of Campaign Treasurer.
106.055 - Valuation of In-Kind Contributions.
106.06 - Treasurer to Keep Records; Inspections.
106.07 - Reports; Certification and Filing.
106.0702 - Reporting; Political Party Executive Committee Candidates.
106.0705 - Electronic Filing of Campaign Treasurer’s Reports.
106.0706 - Electronic Filing of Campaign Finance Reports; Public Records Exemption.
106.071 - Independent Expenditures; Electioneering Communications; Reports; Disclaimers.
106.072 - Social Media Deplatforming of Political Candidates.
106.08 - Contributions; Limitations On.
106.09 - Cash Contributions and Contribution by Cashier’s Checks.
106.11 - Expenses of and Expenditures by Candidates and Political Committees.
106.113 - Expenditures by Local Governments.
106.12 - Petty Cash Funds Allowed.
106.125 - Credit Cards; Conditions on Use.
106.14 - Utilities; Deposits; Prior Authorization.
106.1405 - Use of Campaign Funds.
106.141 - Disposition of Surplus Funds by Candidates.
106.143 - Political Advertisements Circulated Prior to Election; Requirements.
106.1435 - Usage and Removal of Political Campaign Advertisements.
106.1437 - Miscellaneous Advertisements.
106.1439 - Electioneering Communications; Disclaimers.
106.1475 - Text Message and Telephone Solicitation; Registered Agent Requirements; Penalty.
106.15 - Certain Acts Prohibited.
106.16 - Limitation on Certain Rates and Charges.
106.161 - Air Time Available at the Lowest Unit Rate.
106.165 - Use of Closed Captioning and Descriptive Narrative in All Television Broadcasts.
106.17 - Polls and Surveys Relating to Candidacies.
106.18 - When a Candidate’s Name to Be Omitted From Ballot.
106.19 - Violations by Candidates, Persons Connected With Campaigns, and Political Committees.
106.191 - Signatures Gathered for Initiative Petition; Effect of Ch. 97-13.
106.21 - Certificates of Election Not to Be Issued Upon Conviction.
106.22 - Duties of the Division of Elections.
106.23 - Powers of the Division of Elections.
106.24 - Florida Elections Commission; Membership; Powers; Duties.
106.25 - Reports of Alleged Violations to Florida Elections Commission; Disposition of Findings.
106.26 - Powers of Commission; Rights and Responsibilities of Parties; Findings by Commission.
106.27 - Determinations by Commission; Legal Disposition.
106.28 - Limitation of Actions.
106.32 - Election Campaign Financing Trust Fund.
106.33 - Election Campaign Financing; Eligibility.
106.35 - Distribution of Funds.