SPRINGFIELD - State lawmakers are again playing around with free speech and campaign finance laws here in Illinois. According to the Tribune, limits on campaign donations to candidates will be lifted if Super PACs invest money into legislative or statewide political races under a measure the Senate put on the governor's desk today.
Under the legislation, donation restrictions would go away if a Super PAC spends $100,000 or more on a local race and $250,000 or more on a statewide race. In Illinois, a court has struck down language that had limited so-called independent expenditure committees, allowing superPACs to get involved in state campaigns. Current campaign law limits the amounts that individuals, businesses, unions and traditional PACs can give to a candidate.
Sen. Don Harmon (D), dismissed GOP criticism of lifting the limits, saying the legislation is an attempt to rebuild after courts blew a hole into campaign finance reform.
The measure went to the governor on a 39-26 vote.
