Arizona Legislature to write new rules for corporate campaign spending

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC invalidated some of Arizona's laws regarding limitations on corporate campaign spending. Beginning on Monday, the Arizona Legislature wil begin writing new rules. Oh, this can't be good. Bill rewrites law, adds strings to allow big money in campaigns:

Arizona lawmakers are revamping state laws to pave the way for corporate and union political campaigns, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has said they are legal.

But those contributors are going to have to let voters know what they're up to.

Legislation introduced by Senate President Bob Burns comes less than a month after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal laws prohibiting corporations and unions from influencing elections. SB 1444 is set to be heard Monday by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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SB 1444 does not attempt to get around the Supreme Court ruling or impose limits.

But it does require public disclosure of what is being spent, and on behalf of whom, something the nation's high court concluded last month remains permissible.

Under the terms of the bill, any expenditure of at least $5,000 on any statewide race, or $10,000 for two or more races, would trigger the requirement to report that to the Secretary of State's Office within one business day.

For legislative races, the threshold is $2,500 for any one race and $5,000 for multiple races. And a report would be required for any expenditure of at least $1,000 for individual local races, including school boards, or $2,000 where there are several races at issue.

Those reports also would require details of not only the specific candidate or race involved, but the method of trying to influence that race, whether it be television commercials, newspaper advertising, mailings or some other option.