HB1800

House Bill 1800 amends Arkansas state law concerning campaign finance and creates new disclosure requirements for individuals or organizations acting as representatives of or funded by 'hostile foreign principals.' The bill explicitly defines 'hostile foreign nations' to include the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, North Korea, and Iran. It mandates that representatives of these hostile foreign principals must register with the Secretary of State and file comprehensive business and personal information. Furthermore, organizations defined as 'foreign-supported political organizations' must register and disclose their expenditures, funding sources, and officer information annually. The bill also broadens the administrative and investigative powers of the Arkansas Ethics Commission regarding citizen complaints and existing disclosure laws. Finally, it establishes a penalty structure, managed by the Secretary of State, for those who fail to comply with these new transparency requirements.