House panel advances bill to require campaign reporting by tax-exempt groups

The House Privileges and Elections Committee voted 19-0 to report House Bill 2670 to the Appropriations Committee after incorporating two related measures.

Delegate Sickles introduced the bill as a transparency measure aimed at tax-exempt organizations that “act like a PAC.” The bill would require a tax-exempt organization that expends funds to influence Virginia elections to file a statement of organization with the State Board of Elections, designate an “authorized filer” responsible for compliance, and submit the same periodic campaign finance reports required of political action committees. It would also require the Department of Elections to post independent-expenditure reports and authorize a joint work group of committee chairs, the Department of Elections and the attorney general’s office to study contribution limits and disclosure frameworks; that work group must provide findings to the committee chairs by November of this year.

Why it matters: supporters say the measure brings parity to campaign reporting by treating…