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OCPF director tells committee campaign finance law needs modernization; supports H 848 and S 515
Summary
William Campbell, director of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, told lawmakers the 50-year-old campaign finance framework needs updating and expressed support for companion bills H 848 and S 515 that would increase disclosure and modernize reporting and enforcement.
William Campbell, director of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, told the Joint Committee on Election Laws the state’s campaign finance law requires updates to reflect judicial, economic and cultural changes over the past half-century and expressed support for companion bills H 848 and S 515.
Campbell said key proposed changes include tighter disclosure and timelier reporting by so-called “super PACs,” increased security protections for people involved in campaigns, steps to eliminate inequities among candidates, and streamlining of enforcement processes. He noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has limited permissible regulatory objectives to preventing quid pro quo corruption or its appearance and that any reform must be crafted with those constraints in mind.
“The time has come for the changes set forth in the two bills,” Campbell said. He filed an extensive report with the committee commenting on each section of the proposed bills and asked that the document be received as extended testimony. Campbell also noted his agency’s obligation to administer existing law until the Legislature makes changes.
Campbell said he has served as OCPF director since April 2021 and previously worked 23 years as a city clerk in Woburn and earlier as an attorney and city councilor.
No formal committee action was taken during the hearing; Campbell said he was available to answer questions.
