US: More on Kansas reforms
Hutchinson News Online has more on the reforms passed by the Kansas House:
The chamber overwhelmingly approved four bills making modest changes to state laws governing the handling of political money.
One of the bigger shifts involves shortening a blackout period shortly before an election. The loophole has kept the public from learning about last-minute campaign finance transactions.
However, the House handily defeated, on a 75-46 vote, a Democrat-backed proposal that would’ve required more groups to report information by requiring “issue” advertisers to reveal their backers and spending information.
Campaign finance reform efforts have stalled in the House in recent years, in part because the chamber’s leaders have been reluctant to open the issue for contentious and lengthy floor debates.