West Virginia senators on Monday made it so a bill that would allow for new redistribution of money through state politics would take effect the day after the 2022 General Election.
The Senate Judiciary Committee otherwise didn’t make any changes to House Bill 4419 before adopting it late Monday afternoon.
The bill will advance to the full Senate for consideration.
If it becomes law, the bill will allow political candidate committees or their campaign committees to donate money to any party committee, including state, county, or municipal committees.
In the version of the bill that passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday, the bill would be effective Nov. 9, 2022, the day after this year’s general election.
The bill limits the amount of money a candidate could send to their party committee. A candidate is limited to $75,000 they can send to a respective party committee, under the bill.
Current law caps that amount at $10,000.
The bill does not cap how much money the party committees could disperse to other candidates and campaign committees.
The bill allows for the money to go to any campaign for the House and Senate, as well as governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, auditor and agriculture commissioner.
Supporters of HB 4419 have said the measure will increase the transparency of money flowing through West Virginia politics. People speaking against the bill have said it amounts to political money laundering through party committees.
Senate Education Chairwoman Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, who serves on the Judiciary Committee, noted the same reporting measures for political candidates and committees would still exist and aren’t affected by the bill, saying there still was a level of transparency.
Sen. Mike Romano, D-Harrison, said the Legislature was opening “a real Pandora’s Box” by advancing the bill, which he said may limit how candidates can spend their excess campaign funds.
“It’s going to allow the state parties to demand even more excess funds from candidates when we may have a use for it and put us in a difficult position,” Romano said.
Sen. Mike Caputo, D-Marion, echoed sentiments shared by members of the House of Delegates during their consideration of the bill, saying more money in politics was not what West Virginians asked for from their representatives.
“I’ve heard a lot of people talk about a lot of things on the campaign trail,” Caputo said. “One thing I’ve never heard anybody say is that we need more money in the election process.”
The 2022 West Virginia Regular Legislative Session ends March 12.
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Senate advances bill to allow more money in state politics, makes it effective the day after 2022 general election - Charleston Gazette-Mail
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