H-540                _______________________________________________

                                           HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 4005

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Pruitt, Baugher, Winsley, Jacobsen, Fisher, Fisch, Lux, Rasmussen, Day, Leonard, Lewis, B. Williams, D. Sommers, Ballard, Brough, Walker, Betrozoff, Doty, Amondson, Ferguson, Bumgarner, L. Smith, Taylor, Todd, Moyer, C. Smith, Hankins and Chandler

Read first time 1/28/87 and referred to Committee on Constitution, Elections & Ethics.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, The unchecked rise in campaign expenditures, coupled with the absence of limitations on contributions and expenditures, has increased the dependence of candidates on special interest groups and large contributors; and

          WHEREAS, Under the present law the impression persists that a candidate can buy an election by simply spending large sums in a campaign; and

          WHEREAS, Such a system is not only unfair to candidates in general, but even more so to the electorate; and

          WHEREAS, The electorate is entitled to base its judgment on a straightforward presentation of a candidate's qualifications for public office and his or her programs for the Nation rather than on a sophisticated advertising program which is encouraged by the infusion of vast amounts of money;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Congress propose an amendment to the Constitution of the United States as follows:

          "Section 1.  (1) The Congress, having due regard for the need to facilitate full and free discussion and debate, may enact laws regulating the amounts of contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections to federal office.

          (2) The several states may enact laws regulating the amounts of contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections to state and local offices.

          (3) No regulation authorized under subsection (1) or (2) of this section may limit expenditures by independent committees, groups, or individuals unless the expenditures are related to clearly identified candidates."

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.