Legislature Looks At Campaign Finance

State legislators set another meeting for mid-November to start the process of amending an ethics bill they finished reviewing today.

The Joint Ethics Committee discussed possible campaign finance reforms including banning all cash contributions and requiring electronic filing for candidates and political action committees. The session was more subdued than yesterday’s, though there was still partisan sniping.

Senate Majority Leader Ron Ramsey says many of the ideas in the bill are some that republicans have already tried to pass.

“When we have bills that are now being considered that we’ve tried to sponsor in the house that have been defeated in house subcommittees. So the partisan tone is there, but we’re in politics. Politics is partisan, but on the same time, we on the republican side have been pushing for these reforms for years and are now seeing them come to light.”

Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle says there are obviously going to be some differences, but that a consensus bill is important.

“And I agree with what some have said that some of these have been ideas that have been floating around this legislature for a long time, but I would suggest to you that no one has the high ground on ethics so we’re moving forward.”

The next meeting is scheduled for the 14th of November.