Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 23, 2023 02:43 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Jared G. Solomon and Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Transparency Around Dark Money |
| Currently, Pennsylvania’s Election Code does not require tax-exempt non-profit organizations to disclose independent expenditures that endorse or denounce certain candidates. These independent campaign expenditures—also known as dark money—have been allowed to influence our elections in secret. We will soon be introducing legislation to provide complete transparency in Pennsylvania’s campaign finance system. Our bill will amend the Pennsylvania Election Code to require campaign finance reports from civic leagues and 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organizations that independently advocate for or against a particular candidate. Specifically, our bill reduces the reporting threshold for independent campaign expenditures from an aggregate total of $100 or more in a calendar year to any amount of campaign expenditures in a calendar year. Similarly, it reduces the reporting threshold for late independent expenditures from $500 to any amount. Pennsylvanians deserve to know where every single dollar driven to a state campaign came from. Our bill will stop secret campaign contributions by requiring strong disclosure of any and all expenditures so they are available for public review. We hope you will join us as a co-sponsor of this important legislation that encourages transparency in our campaign finance system and promotes accountability in our elections. |
Introduced as HB1472