Petri Bill Would Shine Light on Campaign Finance, Enable Electorate to Make Informed Decisions
HARRISBURG – Rep. Scott Petri (R-Bucks) is sponsoring legislation that would require organizations that engage in electioneering and issue advocacy to identify themselves and file campaign finance reports if their expenditures exceed $1,000.
“My legislation would ensure that the public knows what organizations and individuals are behind advertising campaigns advocating for and against various candidates and issues,” said Petri.
Petri’s bill is modeled after the Delaware Election Disclosure Act of 2013, which requires the disclosure of sources of outside spending, including that by corporations and unions. The act was an outgrowth of the Citizens United case, which in 2008 challenged U.S. campaign finance laws that had allowed the government to regulate campaign spending. Specifically, the Citizens United case tested the government’s ability to ban media buys targeting a candidate immediately preceding an election. Citizens United won a narrow victory in the U.S. Supreme Court on First Amendment grounds, but the reversal did not shield those organizations from public disclosure and scrutiny.
“The transparency resulting from the requirements of my bill would help to identify outside groups that may be attempting to influence elections in the Commonwealth,” said Petri. The bill requires 501(c) and 527 groups that engage in electioneering and issue advocacy to file campaign finance reports and identify donors contributing at least $100. Currently, these groups are only required to report expenditures if they expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate or ballot measure, and are not required to disclose their donors.
“This requirement would enable the electorate to more easily identify what outside interests are attempting to influence their decisions at the polls,” said Petri, whose legislation is a companion bill to Senate Bill 998, sponsored by Sen. Dominic Pileggi (R-Chester/Delaware). Petri expects to introduce his legislation next week.
Representative Scott Petri
178th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Donna Pinkham
717.260.6452
dpinkham@pahousegop.com
RepPetri.com