Compliance Notes - Vol. 6, Issue 12

RECENT LOBBYING, ETHICS & CAMPAIGN FINANCE UPDATES

Campaign Finance & Lobbying Compliance

Ohio: Language included in Ohio Senate Republicans' new state budget plan would eliminate the state's ban on corporations and labor unions making independent expenditures for or against political candidates, as well as end contribution limits to independent dark-money groups. At the same time, the budget bill would also impose new limits on contributions to ballot-issue campaigns, which Democrats have used over the past couple of years to pass liberal policies despite the GOP's dominance over state government. The proposed changes, which still have a way to go before becoming law, come as state lawmakers have done nothing during the past five years to strengthen state ethics or campaign finance laws in response to the House Bill 6 scandal, according to media reports. (Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland.com)