Legal Definitions - corrupt-practices act

Definition: A law created by the federal or state government that controls how much money can be donated to political campaigns and how that money is spent. It also requires that all donations and spending be made public.

Example: The Federal Corrupt Practices Act was passed in 1925 to regulate campaign financing for federal elections. It limited the amount of money that could be donated to a campaign and required that all donations be made public. This law was later replaced by the Federal Election Campaign Act in 1971.

Example: The California Political Reform Act was passed in 1974 to regulate campaign financing for state elections. It requires that all donations and spending be reported to the California Fair Political Practices Commission, which makes the information available to the public.

These examples illustrate how corrupt-practices acts are laws that aim to prevent corruption in political campaigns by regulating the amount of money that can be donated and spent, and by requiring transparency in the reporting of donations and spending.