Campaign Finance Reform 2019

We also made significant progress on campaign finance reform. Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 18 is a ballot measure referral that will allow voters to decide during the November 2020 General Election on campaign contribution limits. Two other bills that passed will increase transparency for voters. HB 2983 requires more transparency in reporting from 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) non profit organizations that contribute to partisan political activity. Currently, these groups can contribute virtually unlimited and oftentimes unreported money to campaign activity. HB 2716 requires that political advertisements disclose ‘paid for by’ on the advertisement. Another enormous accomplishment was the passage of SB 870, also known as National Popular Vote. National Popular Vote enters Oregon into an agreement with other states to recognize the candidate that receives the majority of the popular vote as the President. The compact becomes operative when 270 electoral votes are committed by states through the agreement and with Oregon joining only 74 more electoral votes are needed for enactment.