Ban PAC to PAC Transfers

LWVAL Action Priority Level I (Highest) - Monitoring and action of highest priority. Major area for resource expenditures.

Note: LWVAL distributed a letter-to-the-editor to Alabama newspapers on Mar. 8, 2010, voicing the League's opposition to PAC-to-PAC transfers. Read the letter.

Click a bill to see sponsor(s), summary (including link to full text), League action and justification for that action, and progress of the bill through the legislative progress. Inclusion of a bill in this list does not necessarily indicate LWVAL support. The League's position, if any, is noted under League Action & Justification.

green-right-arrow.jpgIndicates change from previous week's report such as new progress in the legislature and/or League action. These updates are in green font.

LWVAL has taken a position on these bills.

HB 85 - allows PAC contributions to principal campaign committees but no others.

Sponsor(s): Rep. Jeff McLaughlin

Summary: Bill allows PAC contributions to principal campaign committees but no others.
League Action & Justification: LWVAL supports HB 85. The League supports the end to PAC-to-PAC transfers.
LWVAL submitted a letter-to-the-editor on March 8, 2010 to newspapers in Alabama calling for the end to PAC-to-PAC transfers and supporting HB 85. Read the letter.
Bill Progress in the Legislature:
1st reading: 1/12/10 and assigned to 2nd reading: 1/14/10 and placed on calendar. 3rd reading pending favorable from C&E. 1/19/2010: 3rd reading and passed by House (100-0-0); sent to Senate and referred to
Notes on HB 85:
HB 85 (also HB 138 and SB 28) removes a line from Fair Campaign Practices Act, 17-5-15 that permits one PAC to contribute to another PAC. It adds the following as point (b): "It shall be unlawful for any political action committee to make a contribution to any other political action committee, other than a principal campaign committee."

HB 138 - Campaign contributions, PAC to PAC transfers, prohibited.

Sponsor(s): Rep. Barry Mask

Summary: Bill allows PAC contributions to principal campaign committees but no others.
League Action & Justification: LWVAL supports HB 138. The League supports the end to PAC-to-PAC transfers. Of Hb 85, HB 138, and SB 28, Mask's bill is strongest: “A principal campaign committee is included within the definition of a political committee. This bill would prohibit all transfers between political committees, except it would continue to allow a political committee that is not a principal campaign committee to make a contribution to a principal campaign committee...”

Bill Progress in the Legislature:
1st reading: 1/12/10 and assigned to
Notes on HB 138:
HB 138 (also HB 85 and SB 28) removes a line from Fair Campaign Practices Act, 17-5-15 that permits one PAC to contribute to another PAC. It adds the following as point (b): "It shall be unlawful for any political action committee to make a contribution to any other political action committee, other than a principal campaign committee."

SB 28 - Campaign contributions, PAC to PAC transfers, prohibited.

Sponsor(s): Sen. Paul Sanford

Summary: Bill allows PAC contributions to principal campaign committees but no others.
League Action & Justification: LWVAL supports SB 28. The League supports the end to PAC-to-PAC transfers.

Bill Progress in the Legislature:
1st reading: 1/12/10 and assigned to
Notes on SB 28:
SB 28 (also HB 85 and HB 138) removes a line from Fair Campaign Practices Act, 17-5-15 that permits one PAC to contribute to another PAC. It adds the following as point (b): "It shall be unlawful for any political action committee to make a contribution to any other political action committee, other than a principal campaign committee."

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