Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Chamber Supports Simple Reporting System for Independent Expenditures
Maryland Chamber Vice President Ron Wineholt last week urged lawmakers to support a simple reporting system for independent campaign expenditures in Maryland.
The bill, HB 93, would require any person, business entity, labor organization or other organization that makes independent expenditures of over $10,000 that promote a candidate or ballot issue to file expense reports with the State Board of Elections. The Chamber supported similar legislation last year.
Momentum is building in Annapolis for action on campaign finance reform legislation. Last year, 11 bills were introduced in reaction to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that held that governments may not restrict the amount of independent expenditures made by corporations and unions in elections (Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission).
Earlier this year, Attorney General Doug Gansler’s office released a report that made 25 recommendations for reforming Maryland’s campaign finance law, including disclosure reports for independent expenditures.
“Although the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision changed no aspect of Maryland law, and there has been no evidence of any problem related to independent expenditures in state elections, we support disclosure of independent campaign expenditures by all persons that make such expenditures,” Wineholt said.
The Chamber also urged lawmakers to amend certain provisions within the bill that are unnecessary or unworkable. View the complete position statement here.
For more information, contact Ron Wineholt at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
