The state House has approved a bill that requires ballot initiative campaigns to identify their top five donors in their advertisements.
The measure passed on a 75-22 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
The bill would apply to advertisements that cost $1,000 or more.
Rep. Andy Billig, a Democrat from Spokane who sponsored the bill, said that the initiative process has been taken over by special interests that pour money into campaigns. He says that while he supports the initiative process, he wants to add transparency.
Rep. David Taylor, a Republican from Moxee, says the bill could have “a chilling effect at the grass-roots level.”
The Associated Press
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.