The Vermont House has overwhelmingly voted to close a loophole in the Legislature's campaign finance rules.
Backers of the plan say it's needed to eliminate the perception that contributions from lobbyists can unduly influence the legislative process.
Currently, lawmakers are prohibited from soliciting or accepting political contributions from lobbyists during the legislative session. But there is one exception to this law.
Both the Democrats and the Republicans have House campaign political action committees. These PACs offer financial and logistical support to legislative candidates during the campaign season.
But unlike individual lawmakers, these PACs are allowed to solicit contributions from lobbyists during the session, and each party usually holds a major fundraising event in Montpelier every winter.
Burlington Rep. Kurt Wright says the time has come to change this practice.
"We have heard from when these events happen, where funds are raised during the session, the unease the legislators who are attending have with the events,” Wright says. “Words have been used like 'uncomfortable' and 'unseemly.'"
"We don't offer this amendment to imply that special interests money sways our votes. We merely want to raise the bar, because appearances matter and impressions count." - Rep. Patti Komline
Wright says these party political action committees should abide by the same set of rules that lawmakers do.
"If we all believe that it is wrong, that it does create a bad perception, at the very least that we ought to ban this practice,” says Wright.
Dorset Rep. Patti Komline is a co-sponsor of this amendment.
"We don't offer this amendment to imply that special interests money sways our votes. We merely want to raise the bar, because appearances matter and impressions count,” Komline says.
The legislation will now be reviewed by the Senate.
