SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 48
(By Senators Burnette, Hunter, Kessler, Mitchell and Rowe)
[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary;
reported April 4, 2001.]
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study a
new method of financing elections for state offices.
Whereas, "Campaign inflation" is pricing the cost of running
for office out of the range of the average West Virginian; and
Whereas, "Clean money" public financing of elections may
provide a constitutional alternative to the present system by
providing funding to run a viable political campaign without
accepting money from private special interests; and
Whereas, Issues vital to the public interest are likely to
receive greater attention if our elected officials have an option
from having to repeatedly seek out special interest dollars to be
elected to office; and
Whereas, Maine, Massachusetts, Arizona and Vermont have
successfully enacted laws that provide an alternative "clean money"
public financing option to their current system of campaign
financing; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is requested to review, examine and study the laws of the states which
have enacted forms of public financing of election campaigns; and,
be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance is requested to review, examine and study the option of
publicly financing campaigns for state elected offices; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2002, on
its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts
of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.