1. (a)

   1. (1) A candidate or a person acting on the candidate’s behalf shall not accept contributions or cumulative contributions that exceed the campaign contribution maximum amount per contributor per election.

   2. (2) A candidate may accept a campaign contribution or contributions up to the maximum amount from the following prospective contributors for each election in which he or she is a candidate, whether opposed or unopposed:

      1. (A) An individual;
      2. (B) A political party;
      3. (C) A county political party committee;
      4. (D) A legislative caucus committee; or
      5. (E) An approved political action committee.

2. (b)

   1. (1) A person shall not make contributions or cumulative contributions to a candidate or to a person acting on the candidate’s behalf that exceed the campaign contribution maximum amount per contributor per election.
   2. (2) An individual, a political party, a county political party committee, a legislative caucus committee, or an approved political action committee may make a contribution or contributions up to the maximum amount to a candidate for each election, whether opposed or unopposed.

3. (c) The above limitations shall not apply to:

   1. (1) Loans made by a candidate from his or her own personal funds to the campaign;
   2. (2) Contributions made by a candidate from his or her own personal funds to the campaign;
   3. (3) Personal loans that financial institutions make to a candidate and that are applied to his or her campaign; or
   4. (4) Independent expenditures, as defined in Arkansas Code § 7‑6‑201(11).

4. (d)

   1. (1) The campaign contribution limit shall be adjusted by the Arkansas Ethics Commission at the beginning of each odd-numbered year in an amount equal to the percentage certified to the Federal Election Commission by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor under 52 U.S.C. § 30116(c) as existing on January 1, 2015.
   2. (2) The adjusted campaign contribution limit shall be calculated from a base amount of two thousand dollars ($2,000) as of January 1, 2015.
   3. (3) If the amount after the adjustment is not a multiple of one hundred dollars ($100), the commission shall round the amount to the nearest multiple of one hundred dollars ($100).
5. (e) No campaign contribution exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) shall be received in cash, nor shall any campaign expenditure exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) be made in cash.

6. (f) All contributions and expenditures on behalf of a campaign activity, other than in-kind contributions and expenditures, in excess of the amounts mentioned in subsection (e) of this section shall be made by a:

   1. (1) Written instrument containing the name of the donor and the name of the payee;

   2. (2) Credit card or a debit card where the transaction results in a paper record signed by the cardholder, provided that the paper record contains the following information for the cardholder at the time of making the contribution:

      1. (A) Valid name;
      2. (B) Complete address;
      3. (C) Place of business;
      4. (D) Employer; and
      5. (E) Occupation; or

   3. (3) Transaction that results in an electronic record created or transmitted by the cardholder where a contribution or expenditure is made through the internet, provided that the electronic record contains the following information for the cardholder at the time of making the contribution:

      1. (A) Valid name;
      2. (B) Complete address;
      3. (C) Place of business;
      4. (D) Employer; and
      5. (E) Occupation.

7. (g)

   1. (1) The contribution limits herein are per election, not per election cycle.
   2. (2) A candidate may receive a contribution up to the maximum amount from any prospective contributor for each preferential primary election, general primary election, runoff election, special election, or general election in which he or she is a candidate, whether opposed or unopposed.
   3. (3) If a political party elects to use a caucus, rather than a primary election, in which to select its candidate, the caucus shall be treated as an election for campaign finance purposes and the maximum contribution limits shall be in effect.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules contained the following footnotes: A footnote to 7 CAR § 3-104(d) cited "29 Ark. Code Ann. § 7-6-203(i)". A footnote to 7 CAR § 3-104(e) following the phrase "contribution exceeding $100" cited "30 Ark. Code Ann. § 7-6-204(a)". A footnote to 7 CAR § 3-104(e) cited "31 Ark. Code Ann. § 7-6-204(a)". A footnote to 7 CAR § 3-104(f) following the phrase "All contributions and expenditures" cited "32 Ark. Code Ann. § 7-6-204(b)". A footnote to 7 CAR § 3-104(f) following the phrase "in-kind contributions and expenditures" cited "33 See definition of "in-kind contribution" in § 200(m)".