#nvleg

Cannizzaro to introduce last-minute campaign finance transparency bill

Riley Snyder
Riley Snyder
IndyBlogLegislature
SHARE

With under two weeks to go in the Legislature, Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro is requesting an emergency bill related to improving the state’s campaign finance transparency.

Cannizzaro, who submitted the bill draft request on May 15, said in a brief interview that the bill would address transparency in campaign finance, but declined to give specific details on what the bill might entail or when it might be introduced.

“We have been having an ongoing discussion working with (Legislative Counsel Bureau) to try and find where maybe there may need to be some additional beefing up, if you will, of those statutes,” she said. “We’re hoping to come up with something that I think is going to make it a little more transparent for voters.”

Addressing the state’s campaign finance structure became a flashpoint early in the session when former Senate Majority Leader Kelvin Atkinson suddenly resigned and pleaded guilty amid charges that he siphoned off close to half a million dollars in campaign funds for personal expenses, including credit card expenses and opening a Las Vegas nightclub. Cannizzaro replaced Atkinson as Democratic leader.

But legislative Democrats have not yet held a hearing on any measure that would directly address the state’s campaign finance law, including Senate Minority Leader James Settelmeyer’s SB333 which would have required major donors register with the secretary of state. The bill died without receiving a hearing.

Cannizzaro said she couldn’t commit to when the bill might be introduced over the remaining 13 days of the legislative session, but said it likely wouldn’t copy over the concept from Settlemeyer’s bill.

“I don’t know if I’m of the opinion that individual reporting is the direction we should go to keep elected officials accountable,” she said. “We’re still looking at all of the different options to see how that might work.”

Under legislative rules, the Assembly speaker and Senate majority leader are allowed to request 10 “emergency” bills during the 120-day session. The campaign finance bill is Cannizzaro’s first emergency request this session.

SHARE

Featured Videos