Donated money would stay out of personal bills in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, the change is about keeping donated money inside the campaign instead of letting it drift into a private life. The bill amends Section 17-25-7.2 of the state’s campaign contributions and expenditures reporting law and says personal use by an elected public office holder or a candidate remains prohibited.

It defines personal use as spending other than expenses related to gaining or holding public office, when the candidate or officeholder would have to treat the payment as gross income under federal tax law.

Where the line is drawn

The bill makes the boundary more concrete by naming expenses campaign funds cannot cover, and by tying the definition to federal tax law. Campaign-fund personal use remains prohibited, meaning spending unrelated to gaining or holding public office that would have to be treated as gross income under Internal Revenue Code section 61.

That includes residential or household items, supplies and expenses, along with mortgage, rent or utility payments for any part of a personal residence for a candidate, officeholder or family member. It also bars mortgage, rent or utility payments for nonresidential property owned by a candidate or family member and used for campaign purposes, when those payments go beyond fair-market value.

What money still cannot buy

The list of prohibited spending also reaches funeral, cremation and burial costs, clothing except for items of de minimis value used in the campaign, and tuition payments. Other items on the bill’s no-go list include club dues and entertainment, unless they are tied to a specific campaign or officeholder activity.

At the same time, the measure leaves room for ordinary campaign and officeholder expenses, including travel, office costs, meals, childcare and security-related spending. That makes the bill less about inventing a new rule than about making the old one easier to apply when the line between public duty and private benefit gets blurry.

• Campaign funds would still be barred from personal use.
• Household costs, tuition and funeral expenses are explicitly off-limits.
• Some campaign-related costs, including travel and security, remain allowed.