Campaign Reforms Face Fight House Panel Has Rejected Past Efforts To Restrict Fund Raising

Two more bills restricting campaign finances have been introduced in the Idaho Legislature, but face a battle winning approval from the House State Affairs Committee.

Both bills come from a special committee appointed last year to look into issues of campaign finance, ethics and conflicts of interest. Six proposals from the panel now are before the State Affairs Committee.

In the past, the panel has rejected almost all efforts to restrict or limit campaign finance donations.

House Speaker Michael Simpson urged the committee on Thursday to allow introduction of the measures as a courtesy to the special committee, although he has his doubts about the legislation.

One bill given preliminary approval on Thursday requires state legislators to raise at least 20 percent of their campaign donations from within their district. The second cuts in half the new limits on donations approved by the Legislature.

Current limits are $5,000 for statewide candidates and $1,000 for legislative and other candidates. Under the proposed bill, the limits would be $2,500 and $500.

Simpson and Rep. Bruce Newcomb, R-Burley, GOP floor leader, were listed as sponsors of the bills.

“You guys never have opposition,” said Rep. Ruby Stone, R-Boise. “You really don’t know how difficult it is out there” raising campaign funds.

Simpson, who is leaving the Legislature after 14 years in a bid for the U.S. Congress seat of Rep. Michael Crapo, said he’s had several opponents over the years.

“I don’t necessarily agree with this legislation,” he said. “We need to introduce this and they could ask members why they made the recommendations.”

Rep. Ron Crane, R-Caldwell, said he would ask the chairman of the select panel, former Attorney General Jim Jones, to ask the other members to testify on the proposals. The members include two men who ruled branches of government with strong hands, former Gov. Cecil Andrus and former Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles McDevitt.

Committee members said they wanted those who served on the select panel to explain why they felt there is a need for the six bills which have been introduced.