Senator Briggs’ Bill Detrimental To Underfunded Conservative Political Candidates

Image Credit: Tennessee Secretary of State / Facebook

The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –

Senator Richard Briggs (R-Dist.7-Knoxville) has introduced a six-page piece of legislation that would result in various changes to campaign finance requirements and procedures. 

In broad strokes, SB0229 would require, “certain officials in the executive branch to receive ethics training from the bureau of ethics and campaign finance; makes certain records of the bureau of ethics and campaign finance public; distributes 80 percent of the privilege tax collected from lobbyists to the bureau of ethics and campaign finance; makes other changes to the operation of the bureau of ethics and campaign finance.”

Some specific or notable changes the bill would instate include:

– Requiring a local candidate whose jurisdiction covers more than one county to register a political treasurer in each county the election occurs.

– Instituting an annual $150 fee to be paid by a political campaign to the registry of election finance, “to partially offset the costs incurred by the registry of election finance in regulating political campaign committees.” Candidates running for an elective office would be exempt from this fee so as not to discourage people from running for office.

– Increasing the limit from $100 to $250 for campaign related contributions involving events hosted on a supporter’s real property (like a home, personal land, boat, etc.) that offer food or beverages before it is considered an official or reportable “contribution.”

– Allowing the registry of election finance to skip an audit or investigation of a complaint against the financial reports of a candidate for public office or a political campaign committee and “proceed directly to a show cause hearing on the sworn complaint.”

– Further distinguishing what constitutes prohibited “personal use” of campaign funds. Specifically designates legal expenses utilized “to advance or support the candidate’s nomination for election or election to office or to challenge the legitimacy of a potential opponent’s candidacy” do not fall under the personal use restrictions, but expenditures used for litigation to “defend the candidate’s standing or reputation in the community is deemed a personal use and is prohibited.”

– 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.

SB0229 contains other provisions not listed here as it appears to subtly, yet extensively, shift many of the state’s already complex campaign finance processes.

Many of the changes may not serve conservatives well as the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance is notorious for targeting conservative individuals and organizations.

Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.