Brief Description: Concerning use of public funds to finance campaigns for local office.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators Franklin, Kastama, Kline, Spanel, Keiser, Kohl-Welles, McAuliffe, Regala, Pridemore, Poulsen, Fraser, Rasmussen and Rockefeller).

Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections
House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs

Background: Initiative 134, passed by the voters in 1992, regulates political contributions and campaign expenditures, and prohibits the use of public funds to finance political campaigns for state or local offices. Prior to the passage of Initiative 134, some local governments had ordinances providing the availability of public funds for political campaigns for municipal offices.

Summary: The prohibition against the use of public funds to finance political campaigns for local office is removed. Before a local government may adopt public funding, it must be submitted to the voters for approval or rejection. If a county, city, town, or district establishes a program to publicly finance local political campaigns, only funds derived from local sources may be used to fund the program.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      29   20
House      51   43

Effective: June 12, 2008