Comments Document

The League of Weinberg Voters of Virginia conducted a two year study that was approved by each of our Local Leagues throughout the Commonwealth, providing our policy recommendations on campaign finance. We hope this will help inform your deliberations on these important issues.

The League of Women Voters supports HB 40 and HB 629. Currently, Virginia has no legal restrictions on how candidates can use their campaign funds, except for surplus funds at the end of a campaign or term of office. As such, Virginia has rightfully earned its rank of 46 out of 51 on the non-partisan Coalition for Integrity’s S.W.A.M.P. Index. We hope you will expand the provision allowing for campaign funds to be used for childcare expenses be expanded to all dependent care, as in Delegate Cherry’s version of the bill. This bill is a welcome step toward strengthening Virginia’s campaign finance laws.

To: Members of the House Privileges and Elections Subcommittee on Campaign Finance From: Lauren Coletta, Senior Advisor, Common Cause Virginia My name is Lauren Coletta, and I am a Senior Advisor with Common Cause Virginia, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization with 20,000 members across the Commonwealth dedicated to upholding the core values of democracy in Virginia. I write to you today in favor of reforming our campaign finance system, particularly urging your support for HB40. As you may know, in the early 1990s, Governor Wilder of Virginia conducted a study to examine deficiencies in the Virginia campaign finance system; despite its many findings, virtually no relevant legislation has been passed addressing the issues raised in the report. Today, Virginia’s campaign finance laws can be regarded, charitably, as in need of renewal. According to most studies on the issue, Virginia ranks amongst the worst states in nearly every facet of campaign finance regulations. To name a few areas where there are generally no laws or regulations: personal use of campaign donations, the amount of money given by individuals or PACs (both in-state and out-of-state), sanctions for incomplete or inaccurate campaign finance disclosure forms, and no regulations on the use of dark money. Political Action Committees, commonly known as PACs, do not need to report for over a month before election day; there is little transparency regarding independent expenditures, and there is lackluster enforcement for issues regarding incomplete or late reporting. While legislation has been introduced to address these issues and countless other issues regarding campaign finance reform, they have failed to pass the General Assembly. This is not a partisan issue but a pro-democracy issue we desperately need to address. Common Cause Virginia encourages the House Privileges and Elections Subcommittee on Campaign Finance members to support HB40.

My name is Bill Millhouser and I am a resident to Fairfax County. I am member of BigMoneyOutVa and strongly believe that strong campaign finance laws are a key to good governance and building confidence among voters that legislators work for their citizens. We hope that 2024 will finally be the year that that you enact these essential campaign finance bills: • HB 40 and HB 629 - Restricts personal use of campaign funds. • HB 276 - Improves disclosure requirements related to independent expenditures. • HB 874 - Limits campaign contributions. • HB 1045 - Introduces public financing of elections. With regard to HB 40 and HB 629, I am in complete agreement with the comments of Nancy Morgan -- it time to enact these common sense restriction on the personal use of campaign funds.

My name is Jessica Mott, from Arlington VA. I am a member of the executive committee of the grassroots group We of Action (WofA). I support HB 40 and HB 629, which would restrict personal use of campaign funds. As a campaign contributor, it is important for me to have the confidence that my donations are being used for their intended purpose, the campaign expenses. This trust requires my knowing that candidates are restricted from using these funds for their personal use. This bill establishes well-defined and consistent standards of what does and does not entail personal use, so that all candidates are subject to the same yardstick. It includes measures to ensure that candidates understand the requirements, and provisions to prevent and penalize frivolous complaints. Virginia ranks poorly on campaign finance laws compared with other states, especially regarding restrictions on personal use. According to a 2021 opinion poll, 73% of Virginians support restricting personal use of campaign funds. Passage of this bill is long overdue and should be low hanging fruit. I urge that you all support this bill.

I’m Nancy Morgan, Coordinator of BigMoneyOutVA. We support this bill. As you well know, Virginia is unique in this country in that its legislators can take unlimited donations and spend the money on themselves, such as taking a vacation, paying off a mortgage, or financing your child’s school. Obviously, Virginians are amazed that this bill can’t get out of chambers, even after being introduced every year from 2014. This bill was discussed for hours during 2021 taxpayer-funded bicameral-bipartisan Joint Subcommittee. There is no excuse for not passing a common-sense bill. The bill addresses frivolous complaints through the establishment of a robust and confidential review process, and moves Virginia forward in terms of good governance legislation. The voters of Virginia, 73 percent of whom, in recent polling by the Wason Center, support restricting the personal use of campaign funds, hope that you pass this bill.

WOOHOO campaign finance reform time!!!