Local Representative pushes for a balanced study of necessary changes
Today, State Representative Jim Dunnam called for the appointment of a committee to study the impact of a recent U.S. Supreme Court opinion on the campaign finance system of Texas. In a letter to House Speaker Joe Straus, Dunnam pushed for a bi-partisan investigation of the effects of the Court's decision on the Texas election code and the possibility of campaign finance legislation next session.
"Independent, nonpartisan polling has consistently shown that Texans believe that campaign finance is a high priority issue," wrote Dunnam. "A balanced examination of the issue and a measured response that preserves Texas's public policy as expressed in our statutes is the least they deserve."
The U.S. Supreme Court's decision yesterday will undoubtedly impact political campaigning in Texas. In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Court dramatically changed national campaign finance law by allowing unlimited corporate and union campaign financing. Previously, companies and unions were required to create Political Actions Committees (PAC's).
Dunnam requested that the committee be composed of equal members of each political party with input from Democratic and Republican Caucus officials.
"Because of the highly-charged and inherently political nature of this issue," wrote Dunnam, "I personally believe that such a consideration will actually minimize the partisan nature of this issue by assuring equal input from all sides."
Representative Dunnam has served as the House Democratic Leader since 2003. He is also the Chairman of the Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding.
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