Legislation bolsters transparency and accountability
BOSTON – Senator Michael O. Moore (D-Millbury) announced that the Senate unanimously passed legislation which increases transparency and accountability in the Commonwealth’s elections by reforming fiscal reporting requirements. The bill also establishes a commission to study allowing the use of campaign funds for family-related care.
“The integrity of our election system is dependent upon transparent processes and financial reporting,” said Senator Moore. “The reforms put forward by this legislation will hold campaigns accountable and help to ensure that we have an election system voters can trust.”
The depository reporting system, run through the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF)—the independent state agency that administers Massachusetts’ campaign finance laws—directs candidates for public office to submit to stringent campaign finance reporting requirements.
Currently, the legislature and some mayoral candidates are exempt from the law that requires statewide, county and many other municipal candidates to use this reporting system. The bill seeks to remedy this disparity by requiring all legislative and mayoral candidates in Massachusetts to participate in the depository system.
By requiring all legislative and mayoral candidates to participate in the depository reporting system, this bill will increase accountability by requiring monthly reports that disclose all campaign finance activity, in addition to reports filed by their designated financial institution. Currently, filings for those presently exempt from the depository system occur only two or three times a year. By increasing the filing frequency to twelve times per year, the legislation seeks to increase transparency in statewide campaign finance activity.
This revised process will assist OCPF in identifying discrepancies between a candidate’s public disclosure of campaign finance activity and their bank accounting records. It would also help OCPF promptly address issues associated with data entry errors, missed deposits, balance issues and uncashed checks. In addition, the change will make it easier to see how much money a candidate is raising and spending during the course of the entire election cycle.
During floor debate, an amendment was debated that would establish the creation of a commission to study the use of campaign funds for family-related activities such as childcare and caring for relatives with medical needs. The amendment passed unanimously.
The bill, H.4087, is currently before the House of Representatives for further consideration. To continue tracking the bill, visit the Legislature’s website by clicking below.