State Legislation

Three questions with Jeffrey Clements

By Patrick Ball/Staff Writer, GateHouse News Service

Concord — The Massachusetts Corporate Political Accountability Act is strong start but doesn’t fix the problem created by the Citizens United decision, according to Concord lawyer Jeffrey Clements.

Massachusetts Legislators Back Free Speech for People (Not Corporate Persons)

The corporatocracy rolls on in a wave of black goo, drowning pelicans and our representative republic.  Steps that could limit CEO pay or require disclosure of corporate election funding are killed or stalled. 

But good news exists as well and it comes from the states.  Today it's Massachusetts.  This is a model of how we will save this republic.

Alaska Reform Bill Adds Ban on Foreign Contributions to Other Restrictions

Foreign contributions banned in an addition to campaign bill

NEXT STEP: Measure advances to House Judiciary Committee.

By RICHARD MAUER, Anchorage Daily News

Iowa State Sen. Matt McCoy Pushes Partial Reform Bill Forward

Iowa State Sen. Matt McCoy has a good column in the DesMoines Register:

Iowa Senate Passes Legislation on Foreign Ownership, Disclosure, Etc

Iowa Senate: Iowa Senate passes first-in-the-nation reforms to protect elections from unfettered corporate spending
Sen. Jeff Danielson: 319-231-7192
From IowaPolitics.com

DES MOINES – The Iowa Senate voted today to make Iowa the first state in the nation to protect citizens from unregulated campaign spending by big corporations and shadowy organizations.

Senate File 2354 * was approved by an overwhelming, bipartisan margin, 49 to 1.

The goals of landmark legislation include: ·

WV House Passes Shareholder Approval Bill

House Bill Raises Another Red Flag
By State Journal

Some members of the Legislature want to do what the U.S. Supreme Court has already declared to be unacceptable.

All too often, the state Legislature has a habit of raising red flags that show West Virginia is prepared to stand apart when it comes to its relationships with corporations.

Take House Bill 4646, for example.