Republican lawmakers proposed new campaign fundraising restrictions Wednesday, targeting Gov. Wes Moore on the same day he planned to attend an event for his federal political action committee.

Moore is scheduled as a “featured guest” Wednesday night at a Unity First Political Action Committee fundraiser, according to an invitation circulating online. Unity First is a federal PAC set up last year by the Democratic governor and his allies that supported U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney’s successful campaigns.

Sen. Jason Gallion and Del. Nic Kipke introduced twin bills banning state elected officials from fundraising for a political action committee or participating in a fundraising event during the 90-day General Assembly session as a “featured guest or in another role” meant to drive attendance or contributions.or money raised.

Gallion said Moore’s participation does not “live up to the spirit of the law” that severely curtails campaign fundraising activities for state elected officials during the legislative session. The measure aims to “avoid even the appearance of impropriety,” said Gallion, a Republican who represents Cecil and Harford counties.

“There is not a single person in this room who fundraises during the 90-day legislative session, and that’s because it is illegal and it has been for 35 years,” Gallion said as he introduced the bill in the Senate chamber.

Under Maryland law, state electeds are banned from raising campaign funds during the legislative session. They are also not allowed to conduct fundraising events. However, they are allowed to raise money for their own campaigns if they’re running for a federal or local office.

Current law makes no mention of participation in political action committees.

Moore’s appearance at the event was advertised as a “featured guest.”

Unity First officials maintain that the fundraiser and Moore’s participation is aboveboard and in compliance with campaign finance laws.

“Republican lawmakers made multiple misstatements of fact and revealed deep misunderstandings of current law on the floor today,” Sophia Silbergeld, the PAC’s fundraising consultant, said in a statement. “But it is appreciated that they acknowledged the Governor and Unity First PAC are in compliance with the law.”

Unity First’s lawyer, David Mitrani, said in a statement that the PAC is a federal committee that isn’t subject to the “blackout period” during the legislative session. The PAC is not currently supporting any specific candidates, he said.

The Maryland State Board of Elections, which oversees campaign fundraising activities, was not immediately available to comment Wednesday.

Kipke, an Anne Arundel County Republican, said this is a necessary expansion of the law.

“The governor may completely have the right to do what he’s doing. However, it has been long held that these types of activities are prohibited, and I think that’s the intent of the legislature,” Kipke said. “Perhaps when these laws were put into place, they didn’t consider all the new entities that might be created over the years.”

Kipke acknowledged the odds of passage are slim in the waning days of the legislative session, but pledged to bring it back next year if it fails.

The fact that the legislation was spurred by the Democratic governor’s event and would need passage in a legislature that has a Democratic supermajority “does add a challenge,” Kipke said.

“However, if I were in the majority party, I think the governor and the legislature should embrace a blanket prohibition because it’s just the right thing to do,” he added.

With just five days remaining in the legislative session, the legislation faces extra procedural hurdles. Gallion and Kipke were successful in having the typical rules suspended to allow their late-introduced bills.

Gallion attempted to have his bill sent directly to a committee to hold a hearing, but was voted down. For now, the legislation sits in the Rules Committees in each chamber, which would have to vote to allow the bills to be reviewed.

Gallion and Kipke designated their proposal as emergency legislation, meaning that if it were passed and signed into law, it would take effect immediately.