Campaign law changes don’t make final cut at Capitol
For the second year in a row, a controversial package of updates to the state's campaign finance rules was left on the cutting room floor as lawmakers ended the legislative session.
At the start of the session, House Speaker Paul Thissen of Minneapolis said his chamber would have the opportunity to vote on the proposed changes after a similar bill stalled in 2013. Last year, the state's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board made legislative recommendations that the state should require more information about spending on political ads.
But Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, said that pressure from a handful of interest groups including Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) and the Minnesota Business Partnership once again prevented the bill from going anywhere.
Those non-profits can skirt disclosure rules by avoiding using certain words in their ads, or by advocating for an issue rather than a candidate.
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Winkler's bill would have required groups that use those tactics to reveal their donors under certain circumstances.
Last session, those groups swayed House Republican lawmakers and just enough of their DFL counterparts to oppose the changes. They argued that the rules would hamper free speech.
Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board Executive Director Gary Goldsmith said the politics of the situation intensified this year.
"It's the same story times two. The two is the addition of the National Rifle Association," said Goldsmith.
Once the NRA got involved in opposing Winkler's bill, it became even more difficult to find the votes, he said.
"A different group of people in the Legislature who might of supported the bill previously were also uncomfortable with the bill," said Goldsmith.
Now, Goldsmith said he's considering new board recommendations that might make the Legislature more likely to support a similar bill next year. He said that it might make sense to focus on large dollar groups that pour millions of dollars into advertising without having to disclosure their donors rather than small groups like MCCL.
Winkler said he would try again next year to make the disclosure changes.
"The MCCL and NRA can't keep the choke hold forever," he said.
Meanwhile, a separate key campaign finance bill stalled in the Minnesota Senate.
For many years, legislators could not take gifts from lobbyists. But as of the last legislative session, lawmakers can now accept food and beverages – for instance, at a reception hosted by a lobbying firm – so long as every member of the Legislature is invited.
This year, Winkler tried to reverse those new rules, but the language stalled in the Senate.
Nevertheless, Goldsmith said a technical change approved by the Legislature that no longer requires the board to investigate every complaint that lands on its desk will make the complaint process more fair and more efficient.
"It doesn't mean we will ignore violations or people can start to do whatever they want," Goldsmith said. "It just means we will look for more informal ways of dealing with matters, in particular trying to make sure we do things that will prevent the same thing from happening again."