Elections Committee Approves Bill to Curb Reliance on Special Interests

A comprehensive campaign financing bill designed to reduce legislators’ heavy reliance on special-interest contributions was approved on Wednesday by the Senate Elections Committee.

A 4-1 vote sent the measure to the Appropriations Committee for more screening. The bill calls for limitations on contributions and expenditures, a ban on the transfer of donations between candidates and partial financing of campaigns by funds from taxpayers.

Legislative candidates would not be allowed to accept more than $3,000 in a primary election and $3,000 more in the general election from any single organization. No more than $1,000 in each election could be received from any individual.

Similar legislation has been vetoed in the past by Gov. George Deukmejian, who opposes the use of taxpayers’ funds for such a purpose.

This year’s version is tied to voter approval of a proposed ballot measure that would require the Legislature to set limits on campaign contributions and expenditures and establish a special fund to be financed by voluntary taxpayer contributions on a matching basis.