ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Center for Competitive Politics’ External Relations Director Matt Nese submitted comments today to the Maryland Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee on Senate Bill 1039, which makes several welcome revisions to existing campaign finance law in the state, but contains several provisions of significant constitutional concern to the Center.
According to Nese, “in its current form, S.B. 1039 relies upon an unclear and overbroad definition of ‘political committee,’ attempts to regulate independent expenditures in a manner inconsistent with recent federal jurisprudence, and contains disclosure provisions for electioneering communications that could subject donors to disclosure for communications they may not even support.”
Last June, CCP testified before Maryland’s Commission to Study Campaign Finance Law, suggesting several ways for the state to improve its campaign finance laws. Entitled the Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2013, Senate Bill 1039 is the Senate’s legislative response to the Commission’s study report. Previously, CCP Legal Director Allen Dickerson testified before the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee on an identical House Bill March 13.
S.B. 1039 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee at 1:00 this afternoon. A copy of the submitted comments can be found here.
For more information, contact CCP Communications Director Sarah Lee at 770.598.7961.
The Center for Competitive Politics promotes and defends the First Amendment’s protection of political rights of speech, assembly, and petition. It is the nation’s largest organization dedicated solely to protecting First Amendment political rights.
