2009 Senate Bill 5912 (Providing public funding for supreme court campaigns)

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Introduced by Sen. Eric Oemig, (D-Kirkland) (D) on February 6, 2009, establishes the judicial election reform act to introduce a voluntary pilot project to provide an alternative source of financing for candidates for the Washington supreme court who demonstrate public support and voluntarily accept strict fundraising and spending limits. Conditions the program on an appropriation of three million dollars to the judicial election reform act fund .
- Referred to the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee on February 6, 2009.
  - Substitute offered in the Senate on February 5, 2010, to provide that funding through the Judicial Election Reform Act cannot be offered to qualifying candidates until a permanent funding source is created. A candidate who is required to return funds must repay the funds with interest. The penalty for failure to report contributions to nonparticipating candidates, and failure to report an independent expenditure, is the same as the penalty for failure to report contributions and expenditures by publicly financed candidates. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 5, 2010.
- Referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on February 5, 2010.
  - Substitute offered in the Senate on February 9, 2010, to remove the fees imposed on campaign contributions and add a $3 surcharge on county clerk filing fees to finance the program. A variety of changes are made to the qualification process, expenditures from the fund, and reporting requirements. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 9, 2010.
- Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on February 9, 2010.
  - Amendment offered by Sen. Eric Oemig, (D-Kirkland) (D) on February 16, 2010, removes an irrelevant reference to the state treasurer by request of the office of state treasurer; reduces the number of fees on which the three dollar judicial integrity surcharge will be imposed; eliminates the imposition of the surcharge on fees that are less than twenty dollars; and allows the administrative office of the courts and the commission to recover up to 10% of administrative costs. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 16, 2010.
- Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on March 11, 2010.

Most Recent Comments

1) Re: 2009 Senate Bill 5912 (Providing public funding for supreme court campaigns) [by Sarajane46th on January 28, 2010]

The need to protect the integrity of the Washington State Supreme Court could not be more urgent or clear. Over $2 million was raised and spent by each candidate in the previous election for Supreme Court Justice. Although it is less likely to happen here, a strip-coalmining company in West Virginia actually bought a Supreme Court Justice in that state to provide the deciding vote on a split panel that enables Massey Coal to continue mountain-top removal despite its being in violation of federal clean water standards. The justice was asked to recuse himself because of their campaign contributions and three times he refused. For anyone who values the rule of law and the principle of blind justice, this corporate thumb on the scales is horrifying.

Public campaign funding is the only answer. To preserve free speech, including corporate free speech, this funding method is entirely optional. A candidate who chooses public campaign financing needs to meet a qualifying level of small donations that proves he or she has community support. This bill would use court fees to fund a viable campaign, so that the candidates or their campaigns would not need to engage in any further fundraising. If an opponent raises a large amount, the bill provides for "rescue" funds, to maintain a fairly level playing field and to discourage very large contributions to an opponent. This bill deserves the support of anyone who is concerned with the perception of fairness and justice in our state Supreme Court.

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2) 2009 Senate Bill 5912 (Providing public funding for supreme court campaigns) [by admin on January 1, 2001]
Introduced in the Senate on February 6, 2009

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