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Ohio Lawmaker Proposes Campaign Finance Modernization Bill

State Representative John Becker (Republican)
The State of Ohio (Ohio Public Television)
State Representative John Becker (Republican)

A conservative Republican state lawmaker has introduced a bill he says will modernize campaign finance reporting. It’s the first bill the legislature has seen on campaign finance since the landmark Citizens United Supreme Court case in 2010.

Republican Rep. John Becker says a lot of the rules on reporting campaign financing are outdated and unnecessary. So he’s introduced a bill that would change those rules.

“The idea is to simplify the whole process so candidates don’t feel like they have to lawyer up to put their name on the ballot.”

Becker’s bill would do away with some details about where funds come from and would not require candidates to report at all if they’ve raised less than $2000. It would also phase in electronic filing so in the future, all contributions, even those to local candidates, could be viewed online. Becker’s bill has three co-sponsors, all conservative Republicans. It has yet to be scheduled for a hearing.

Copyright 2021 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.