Thursday, December 09, 1999
Ohio bill declares campaign donations on Net
Candidates would be required to file report by computer
BY SPENCER HUNT
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS — The Ohio Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would make all candidates for state offices use a computer to file their campaign finance reports for posting on the Internet.
The 32-1 vote sends the bill to an unhappy House, which had earlier passed a plan that excluded General Assembly candidates from electronically filing their finance reports. State Rep. Ron Amstutz, R-Wooster, is not sure House lawmakers will pass the revised bill, but said he plans to put it up for a vote today.
“I like and support what the Senate did,” Mr. Amstutz said.
The bill would require all candidates for statewide office, such as governor and attorney general, to electronically file their reports by Jan. 1, 2001, if they receive more than $10,000 in donations. Political action committees and other groups that donate more than $10,000 to candidates would file via computer in 2002.
Candidates for the General Assembly would follow in 2003. But some House lawmakers objected, saying the bill would force them to spend campaign money on computers.
The Senate bill would make the secretary of state offer the software to legislative candidates free. The bill also lets candidates file via computer at any public library.
The secretary of state would then make all the reports available on a Web site within five days.
“This bill paves a way for all campaign finance reports to make their way to the Internet without delay,” said the bill sponsor, Sen. Dick Schafrath, R-Mansfield.
State Sen. Greg Didonato, D-Dennison, was the sole dissenter. Mr. Didonato said the new requirement would be too complex or too expensive for many candidates to follow.
“This is going to scare people away from public office,” he said. “All the things I have to file, it's ridiculous. It's overkill.”
Tots still can donate
The Senate vote also followed a brief debate over whether children should be allowed to donate to politi cal campaigns. Sen. Mark Mallory, D-Cincinnati, failed to add a provision to the computer filing bill that would bar children ages 6 and under from writing checks to candidates.
The amendment was a response to a Cincinnati Enquirer investigation that revealed children as young as 5 months were donating to the same candidates their parents supported.
In Ohio, individuals can give no more than $2,500 to a state candidate and $1,000 to a federal candidate in each election. Donors whose occupation was listed as “student” started popping up on state campaign finance reports after the General Assembly approved contribution limits in 1995.
Lawmakers defeated Mr. Mallo ry's amendment 14-19. Senate President Richard Finan, R-Evendale, later said Mr. Mallory's idea is unconstitutional because it would bar a certain group of people from giving.
“I think there's a long line of (court) cases that say if you're under 18, under 6, under 2 or under 1, you have rights,” Mr. Finan said. “They don't begin at age 18 or any other age along the way.”
Mr. Mallory disagreed.
“I don't think I had the ability to make the decision to contribute to a political campaign when I was 4 or 5,” he said. “When you're a child you can't drive a car, you can't register to vote and you can't sign a contract — but you can give $1,000 to a campaign.”
House OKs late-term abortion ban
Who's at fault when kids play with guns?
City high schools 'a failure'
CPS facing tough decision on levies
'Super Saturday' likely to stay - for now
Voice-mail crash affects thousands
Cincinnatian files suit over T-shirt shoot
Judge scolds adults in Justin case
Clermont discovers role on the Underground Railroad
Sewer rates to soar
Shirey review will be done in open council
Mayor wants to be rec director
Mental health agencies merge
Serious about spreading cheer
Study: New college needed
Vote to raise tax required courage
Canadian quartet's concert intense, pleasing
Clooney return to 'ER' uncertain
Diamond rolls through career of gems
GET TO IT
'Jekyll' seldom hits right chord
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
Stuff for stockings
Toddler needs special chair to sit up
'Nutcracker' mom does fancy steps
Colerain sees need for road levy
District rejects idea of arming school principals
Fernald worker database needs funds
Fire alarm saves man asleep
Girlfriend's killer gets 16 to life
High school/rec center will cost $71.9M
Killer convicted after five years
Ky. 9 stretch completed
Man overcome in blaze rescued by firefighters
NKU grad's neighbor: Didn't mean to kill her
Ohio bill declares campaign donations on Net
Project will take kids on virtual tours of Cincinnati Art Museum
Quoted words turn township meeting ugly
Sirens to be ready for tornado season
Sister tells of burying body parts
Some postal offices to be open Sundays
TRISTATE DIGEST
Warren sheriff clears new hurdle
Young driver may end up in adult court
