Image: Republican Rep. Todd Warner was the only one who voted against HB0653. Image Credit: Adelia Kirchner / The Tennessee Conservative
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
A complex campaign finance bill passed in the House State & Local Government Committee by a 22-1 vote on Wednesday.
House Bill 653 (HB0653), sponsored by Rep. Tim Hicks (R-Gray-District 6), makes several changes to campaign finance law which critics have warned may prove detrimental to underfunded conservative candidates in Tennessee.
According to Senate sponsor Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville-District 7), the six-page bill was brought to him by the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance.
The legislation reportedly funnels more money toward the Bureau and makes other subtle but extensive shifts to the already complicated laws surrounding campaign and political finance.
Changes proposed by this legislation include:
- Requiring certain executive branch officials to receive ethics training from the bureau.
- Allowing the Registry of Election Finance to skip audits or investigations of complaints against financial reports and instead go straight to show cause hearings.
- Requiring a local candidate whose jurisdiction covers more than one county to register a political treasurer in each county the election occurs.
- Deleting an entire section of existing law and replacing it with exemptions for campaign contribution limits for certain political campaign committees, such as those controlled by a political party.
“It cleans up a lot of things for them and they can report that, but thanks for bringing it. It’s needed. It’s nothing revolutionary,” Rep. Tim Rudd (R-Murfreesboro-District 34) said in committee.
Executive Director for the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance Ethics Commission, Bill Young, took to the stand to answer any questions committee members might have.
He reiterated that HB0653 is mostly a clean-up bill and noted that it does impose a $150 registration fee on political campaign committees (PACs).
Rep. Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill-District 92) took the opportunity to ask Young what his opinion was on out-of-state PAC money funding Tennessee candidates and if he thought that should stop.
“I’m not sure I would say stop it,” stated Young, “but it certainly needs to be transparent when it comes through. I’m a big believer in transparency.”
Rep. Bo Mitchell (D-Nashville-District 50) asked for clarification on if Section 11-D of HB0653 was dictating that the governor’s commissioners also start to receive annual ethics training.
“It is yes,” said Young.
“Good,” said Rep. Mitchell.
According to HB0653, annual ethics training “must also be provided by the Tennessee ethics commission to all department commissioners in the executive branch and all of the governor’s cabinet level staff.”
The final vote count in committee was 22-1 and HB0653 will go on to be considered by the House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee next week.
Voting in favor of HB0653 were Republicans Rush Bricken, Jeff Burkhart, Ed Butler, Michele Carringer, John Crawford, Rick Eldridge, Dan Howell, Tom Leatherwood, Mary Littleton, Greg Martin, Jake McCalmon, Jerome Moon, Dennis Powers, Tim Rudd, Iris Rudder and Dave Wright, as well as Democrats Jesse Chism, Vincent Dixie, Larry Miller, Bo Mitchell, Jason Powell and Gabby Salinas.
Republican Todd Warner was the only no vote in committee.
The companion Senate Bill 229 (SB0229) previously passed in the Senate State and Local Government Committee by an 8-1 vote and has been referred to the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee but it has not yet been placed on the schedule.
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. Adelia is The Tennessee Conservative’s on-site reporter for the Tennessee General Assembly. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
Groan.