Memo of opposition to legislation that makes significant changes to NYS Public Campaign Finance Law
SUMMARY
In conjunction with several good government groups, the City Bar opposed new Senate Bill 8969, which would make significant changes to the New York State Public Campaign Law. As described in the joint memorandum, “The 2020 public campaign finance law was the product of years of public advocacy and exhaustive public meetings and consultations. This bill is being introduced 10 weeks before the existing public matching law is used for the first time in an election. Candidates and the state Public Campaign Finance Board have spent considerable time planning how to use and implement the existing law and we believe it makes no sense to hastily change the law on the fly. Once the primary and general elections are over and the Public Campaign Finance Board has released its legally-mandated report on the program’s implementation, the Legislature could consider changes. Now is not the time.”
BILL INFORMATION
S.8969 (Skoufis) – Amends provisions relating to public campaign financing; changes certain thresholds and procedures; permits retention of matching funds for future use; specifies when a candidate is opposed by a competitive candidate (NYS 2024).
REPORT
Reinvent Albany
Brennan Center for Justice
Citizen Action of NY
Citizens Union
Common Cause New York
Empire State Indivisible
League of Women Voters of New York State
Metro New York Health Care for All
New York City Bar Association
New York Communities for Change
New York Immigration Coalition
New York Public Interest Research Group
New York Working Families Party
Westchester for Change
MEMO OF OPPOSITION
S.8969 (Skoufis)
Makes Significant Changes to NYS Public Campaign Finance Law
April 9, 2024
OUR GROUPS STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS BILL, which makes significant changes to the public campaign finance law at the wrong time.
The 2020 public campaign finance law was the product of years of public advocacy and exhaustive public meetings and consultations. This bill is being introduced 10 weeks before the existing public matching law is used for the first time in an election. Candidates and the state Public Campaign Finance Board have spent considerable time planning how to use and implement the existing law and we believe it makes no sense to hastily change the law on the fly.
Once the primary and general elections are over and the Public Campaign Finance Board has released its legally-mandated report on the program’s implementation, the Legislature could consider changes. Now is not the time.
We urge legislators to vote NO on this bill.
TITLE OF BILL
An act to amend the election law, in relation to public campaign financing; and to repeal section 11 of part ZZZ of chapter 58 of the laws of 2020 amending the election law relating to public financing for state office; amending the state finance law relating to establishing the New York state campaign finance fund; and amending the tax law relating to establishing the NYS campaign finance fund check-off, relating to the severability of the provisions thereof.
