Committee hears bill to drop treasurer-name requirement from candidate mailings
Loading...
Summary
H.B. 2446 would remove the statutory requirement to include a treasurer's name on certain political advertisements; the Secretary of State supports the change, saying the information is publicly available and treasurers are often volunteers reluctant to be named on negative ads.
The Committee on Elections considered H.B. 2446, which deletes the treasurer's name requirement from two statutes governing political-advertising disclosures.
A Revisor summarized the bill as a pair of parallel changes: removing the treasurer’s name from required information on published campaign material in both the general election-crime article and the campaign-finance section. Clay Barker, speaking for the Secretary of State’s office, said the change was aimed principally at candidate mailings where the candidate is clearly identified and treasurers are often volunteers who do not want their names on negative messaging. Barker said the treasurer’s identity remains public in filing statements and that the practical effect on parties and PACs should be minimal because they already disclose chair or treasurer information.
No opponents registered for oral testimony and committee members’ questions focused on scope: the change was intended for candidate campaigns rather than parties and PACs, and separate 'paid for' disclosures remain distinct.
Ending: The committee closed testimony on H.B. 2446; no vote was recorded during the hearing.
