Senate committee reviews campaign‑finance transparency bill and proposal to allow security spending from campaign funds

Sen. Townsend presented two related campaign‑finance measures. HB 344 would require candidates and political committees to maintain a designated bank account in Delaware, complete campaign‑finance training every two years, keep longer records, prohibit reporting with a negative balance, tighten documentation requirements for loans to campaigns, extend automatic filing deadlines in some circumstances, and authorize the commissioner to create audit regulations.

Townsend said the changes are intended to increase transparency without imposing onerous recurring reporting burdens. He emphasized that the bill allows the commissioner to establish regulations for audits and that some provisions are meant to prevent misleading self‑loans and to ensure more usable financial records.

Separately, HB 448 would allow candidates to use campaign funds for reasonable and necessary security expenses under specified guardrails and in coordination with Department of Elections guidance. Townsend said the bill is designed to permit modest, cost‑effective security measures that help candidates run safely.

Public commenters raised fiscal and policy questions. A speaker identified in the record as Lisa Reyes objected to HB 344 citing an asserted $1.5 million cost to implement changes and urged the committee to prioritize other spending during a period of slow growth. Lisa Rice later suggested an amendment modeled on Vermont that would allow electronic security spending without a monetary cap as an alternative approach to HB 448.

Committee members asked technical questions; the hearing did not include a committee vote on either bill.