Kentucky House passes bill to limit foreign influence in ballot measure campaigns
Election Day at the Landsdowne Elementary School precinct in Lexington, Nov. 5, 2024. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Arden Barnes)
FRANKFORT — A bill that seeks to limit foreign influence in campaigns on Kentucky ballot measures easily passed the House Wednesday.
Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville, introduced House Bill 45 to prevent foreign donors and entities from donating to campaigns on ballot measures, such as a constitutional amendment. He argued the change would close a potential loophole in the state's current election laws.
Currently, political candidates are barred from taking campaign contributions from foreign nationals. However, Hodgson said that his bill would expand that prohibition to groups campaigning on ballot measures.
The House passed the bill 85-12 in a floor vote Wednesday afternoon. It had bipartisan support, though 12 Democrats voted against the measure.
'I think it's a matter of consistency between our candidate elections and our ballot issue elections. Right now, the law is inconsistent. It's just an oversight,' Hodgson said after the House adjourned Wednesday. 'And I think there will be increasing pressure in future years, especially as people propose constitutional amendments, to keep the foreigners out of our elections that have not bought into our American system.'
Some states have passed similar laws banning foreign participation in ballot measures. A study by OpenSecrets found more than $163 million in political contributions were made by foreign-influence companies in six states between the 2018 and 2022 election cycles.
If Hodgson's bill becomes law, political issue committees could not 'knowingly or willfully receive, solicit, or accept contributions or expenditures that are directly or indirectly funded by a prohibited source.' The bill would also require records to be kept about independent expenditures supporting or opposing a ballot measure for six years.
Under the bill, the committees would have to verify donors are not foreign entities.The committee and donor could face legal ramifications if the donor lies. U.S. citizens or green card holders would not be affected by Hodgson's bill.
The bill would also require political issue committees to disclose themselves in ads for or against ballot measures.
In Kentucky, voters must decide to approve constitutional amendments in elections. Two constitutional amendments were on the ballot in 2024 — one that would have allowed the General Assembly to fund nonpublic schools and another that barred noncitizens from voting in elections within the state.
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