Louisiana is the 18th state to pass a law prohibiting foreign spending in ballot measure campaigns and the eighth state to do so in 2025, a record for the most states enacting such laws in a single year.
Louisiana House Bill 693 (HB 693) modified existing campaign finance rules, including establishing new rules for political action committees, setting limits on how campaign funds can be used, and raising financial reporting thresholds, among other changes. When it comes to ballot measure campaigns, HB 693 established a new provision that would prohibit foreign nationals from directly or indirectly making or promising to make contributions in connection with a ballot measure, the recall of a public officer, or any political committee. This provision would expand on the existing ban related to elections for political office.
HB 693 was introduced to the Louisiana State Legislature on May 15, 2025, by Rep. Mark Wright (R-77). It passed the House on May 21 by 77-16 and passed the Senate on June 9 by 31-6. The House then concurred with the Senate to pass the bill with amendments the next day, June 10, by 55-42.
Seventeen other states—Arkansas, California, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, and Wyoming—have passed laws prohibiting foreign nationals or governments from contributing to ballot measure committees. California enacted the first such ban in 1997. Most of these bans were passed within the past five years, with Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, Tennessee, and Wyoming enacting their bans in 2025.
Campaign finance rules for ballot measures differ from those for candidate elections. In 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that spending on ballot measure campaigns is similar to issue advocacy, such as lobbying, in the lawmaking process. In 2012, the Supreme Court affirmed that, under the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), foreign nationals were prohibited from making contributions to candidates. However, FECA “does not bar foreign nationals from issue advocacy,” which includes ballot measure campaigns. The Federal Election Commission, following the court’s orders, has held that ballot measure campaigns are not regulated under FECA. According to the FEC, since ballot measure campaigns are similar to issue advocacy, foreign individuals, corporations, and governments can contribute to them.
The 18 states that have passed laws banning foreign spending on ballot measure campaigns vary in how they define and restrict foreign entities. Some states use the federal definition of foreign principal or foreign national, or similar definitions, where spending by foreign individuals, organizations, or governments is prohibited. In Maine and South Dakota, foreign spending is only prohibited by foreign governments, not by foreign individuals. Some laws prohibit only direct spending, while others prohibit both direct and indirect spending, such as providing funds to an organization that subsequently contributes to a committee.
Under Louisiana HB 693, a foreign national is defined as an individual who is not a U.S. citizen and is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence; a foreign government or political party; or an entity organized under the laws of, or with its principal place of business in, a foreign country, unless it is authorized to do business in Louisiana. The bill also defines a foreign national to include any individual who is a citizen of a foreign government designated as a foreign adversary or a state sponsor of terrorism, as well as any person individually identified as a foreign adversary.
The law prohibits federal income tax-exempt organizations from contributing to any campaign—including ballot measure campaigns—if the campaign received more than $100,000 or over 20% of its total contributions from foreign nationals in the current or previous calendar year.
Louisiana HB 693 is one of at least 63 bills that have been enacted into law across 48 states concerning ballot measures, initiatives, veto referendums, referrals, local ballot measures, and recall elections during 2025 legislative sessions.
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