Bill Would Up Number Of Financial Reports For Casino Referenda

On Wednesday, according to State House News Service, the Legislature's Election Laws Committee holds a hearing on a bill that "would require the political committees behind ballot initiatives concerning casino licenses to file additional financial reports and disclosures" with the state, along with reports to individual city and town clerks.

"The reporting to local clerks, many of whom have other responsibilities, including running the local election simultaneously, just was not adequate enough," Secretary of State William Galvin, a proponent of the legislation, just told our Newscast unit.

"For instance, last weekend in Taunton," he added, "over $300,000 was spent influencing voters in that community. [That], I would dare say, is a modern-day record for a municipal election in the city of Taunton."

The bill would increase the number of financial reports casino-related entities would have to file. The state Office of Campaign and Political Finance would then make those reports public electronically.

Lawmakers don't have much time on the bill; the legislative session ends at the end of July.