02.05.01

By Laura Davis

Limits on campaign donations.

Full and immediate disclosure.

Auditing campaign finance reports.

Internet publication of violators.

Campaign finance reforms like these are being proposed and considered at the General Assembly this session by various legislators.

One of these legislators, Delegate S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, introduced a package of four bills to remedy current campaign problems.

"There’s some changes I feel need to be made. I certainly support full disclosure and immediate disclosure," said Jones, chairman of the House and Senate joint subcommittee on campaign finance reform.

One of Jones’ bills strengthens the powers of the State Board of Elections, allowing it to crack down on candidates who miss deadlines for reporting expenditures and gifts. This includes publishing on the Internet violations made by candidates for statewide office.

Forrest Landon, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, said, "One of the objectives of this package of legislation is to use shame and embarrassment by posting names on the Internet."

The coalition participated in a study commission headed by Jones dealing with campaign finance laws.

"Nobody takes them seriously," said Landon, adding that if Jones’ bills are passed, candidates will be forced to get serious about the laws.

Another bill proposed by Jones requires all General Assembly candidates to electronically file reports of expenditures and contributions by Jan. 1, 2003, if they have received more than $10,000 during a campaign.

"Last year we took an approach of a voluntary e-filing," said Jones, explaining that with the change in this year’s bill, candidates will be unable to mail in reports. Sometimes in the past, he said, although candidates have had their reports postmarked by the filing deadline, the packages have arrived late, and campaign donations and expenditures have gone unreported.

Jones’ bills also change what the State Board of Elections can ask candidates about their expenditures.

One change gives the board the power to specifically ask candidates about their expenses. For example, a candidate could report an expense on a credit card, and the board could ask exactly what the money was used to purchase.

"I think it’s getting us to where we need to be as far as disclosure," Jones said. But he said he does not believe in contribution limits.

Jones said the most controversial item in his bills gives the State Board of Elections the power to make compliance reviews, or audits, on candidates’ campaigns. The board would randomly select 10 percent of General Assembly campaigns to review. Additional money needed for staff and outside consulting to perform audits, Jones said, make the bill controversial.

His bills, which will soon be heard in the House Committee on Privileges and Elections, are not the first campaign finance reform bills he has proposed. Last session, he sponsored five reform bills, and some were passed. He was also involved in public forums around the state that solicited input and feedback from constituents on campaign finance.

But he’s not the only delegate with campaign finance reform bills this session.

Delegate Anne G. Rhodes, R-Richmond, proposed a campaign finance disclosure bill similar to Jones’.

"Unfortunately, campaigns are getting exorbitantly expensive," she said. Rhodes said that because they cost so much and because Virginia has no contribution limits, big contributors can have undue influence on legislators.

Also, good candidates for office can be driven away because they don’t want to be involved in this kind of situation and can’t afford to raise the funds themselves, she said.

Delegate Kenneth R. Melvin, D-Portsmouth, also has proposed a campaign finance reform bill – one that puts limits on campaign contributions.

"Virginia is a wasteland in terms of campaign financing laws," he said. "One of the key elements that we need in terms of campaign finance reform is limits on the amount of contributions from lobbyists and individuals."

If his bill becomes law, limits will be placed on the amount of campaign contributions received by candidates for governor, lieutenant Governor, attorney general and the General Assembly.

Under Melvin’s bill, statewide office candidates could receive up to $10,000 per election cycle from individuals and no more than $20,000 from political action committees, or PACs. Individuals could contribute no more than $2,000 per election cycle to a General Assembly candidate and PACs no more than $4,000.

Another delegate with a campaign finance bill, Delegate Albert C. Pollard Jr., D-White Stone, said constituents are an important part of solving campaign finance problems.