The first hurdle has been reached and we cleared it! This is our official media advisory that I wanted to share with you.
Historic Campaign Finance Reform Legislation Passes State Assembly
Next Stop - the Senate
Sacramento, CA – For the first time in the history of the California Legislature, the issue of public financing of campaigns was passed by State Assembly. Today, AB 583, the California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, by Assemblymember Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley/Oakland) was approved by the State Assembly by a 46-24 vote. The bill was amended to create a conference committee with members of both the Assembly and the Senate in order to craft the final details of the legislation.
AB 583 will establish the "Clean Money" system of public financing of campaigns similar to those in Maine and Arizona. That system allows any candidate who raises a substantial number of small contributions from individuals residing in the district and agrees not to take contributions from any special interest, to receive full public financing of their campaign.
"The public has lost faith in its elected officials. The cost of implementing this program pales in comparison to the cost of doing nothing. We must reform our electoral system and re-establish trust with the voters," said Hancock. A recent poll conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California found 64% of likely voters believe that campaign contributions have had a negative effect on the public policy decisions being made in Sacramento.
"I introduced the Clean Money legislation to provide a clear and innovative alternative to the deluge of big money in California politics. At a time when we are making budget decisions that will shape the future of every human being in our state, at a time where scandal on Capitol Hill has shown the abuses of special interest money, we can no longer ignore the corrosive influence of money on the legislative process. Clean Money - public financing of campaigns - is an idea whose time has come," concluded Hancock.
It just goes to show, that with your loyalty and support, we can accomplish anything!
