This bill aims to close what many see as a loophole in campaign finance law that allows Super PACs and other outside groups to work closely with candidates while technically remaining independent. Right now, Super PACs can spend unlimited money on ads and campaigns as long as they don't directly coordinate with candidates. This bill makes it much harder to hide that coordination.

The law defines "coordinated expenditures" very broadly to catch situations where outside groups are clearly working together with candidates, even if they're not explicitly told what to do. For example, if a Super PAC uses campaign materials created by a candidate's team, or if the candidate's staff helps set up the Super PAC, or if campaign insiders work for both the candidate and the outside group, those spending would now count as illegal contributions to the candidate. The bill also catches cases where candidates help raise money for these outside groups or where the groups are run by the candidate's family members.

Violations come with serious penalties—fines of up to 300 percent of the amount spent illegally. The bill also makes it clear that simply having a "firewall" (a policy meant to keep information separate between the candidate and outside groups) won't protect anyone from these rules. The law takes effect 120 days after passage, giving the Federal Election Commission time to write new rules. This is designed to reduce the influence of wealthy donors who currently use Super PACs as a way to give unlimited money to candidates while pretending to be independent.