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Senate committee approves printing of campaign finance recodification bill that raises contribution limits, tightens reporting
Summary
The Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee voted to send RS 32772 to print after a pro tem-led presentation outlining a recodification of Idaho campaign finance law that increases some contribution limits and expands reporting requirements, with Secretary of State Phil McGrane on hand to explain the drafting changes.
Senator Kelly Anthon of District 27 presented RS 32772 to the Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee, describing it as a campaign finance recodification that would increase reporting requirements and modestly raise contribution limits. "It will increase the candidate contribution limit from a thousand dollars to $1,500," Anthon said, and for statewide offices the proposal would raise the per-election limit "from $5,000 to $6,000."
The bill would also require more frequent reporting for political action committees, increase reporting of donations over $1,000 as an election approaches, expand disclosure for electioneering communications, and revise late-filing fines and accountability for missing disclosure statements. "Because these statutes haven't been touched since the 1970s, there will be kind of a reshuffling or reorganizing of the statutes," Anthon told the committee.
Phil McGrane, Idaho secretary of state, joined the discussion to clarify that much of RS 32772 is a recodification of existing law into Title 74 and that some sections appear as new only because of the reorganization. "This is the campaign finance side of it. This is a recodification," McGrane said, noting that some provisions being shown as new sections are existing law moved from Title 67. He also confirmed that the limits and many other substantive changes are highlighted in the bill materials the office provided.
Committee members asked about fines and the timing of the bill late in the session. Senator Wintrow expressed hesitation about printing a large bill so late but acknowledged the handout highlighted substantive changes. Senator Shippey asked about a section limiting party contributions in legislative and statewide races; McGrane clarified that the provision is current law being recodified, not a new increase.
The committee approved a motion to send RS 32772 to print. Senator Ricks moved the introduction and Senator Lent seconded; the chair called for the voice vote and the motion carried. The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript; the action was taken by voice vote.
The RS materials include a section-by-section handout the secretary of state said was intended to let members see which provisions are new or substantively changed versus which are relocations of existing law. Committee members indicated they will review the printed bill and the section summaries before any future hearing or debate.
