Fla. House OKs Bill That Would Skyrocket Campaign Contribution Limits
Tallahassee, Fla. (AP) — A bill that would significantly raise campaign contributions survived a House vote Friday.
The House voted 75-39 on Friday for a sweeping elections bill (HB 569) that would let statewide candidates accept $5,000 contributions. The current limit is $500. The legislation would allow legislators to accept $3,000 contributions.
The campaign finance measure would also eliminate a type of political committee that critics maintain have been used as slush funds for legislators.
The bill would also allow incumbent candidates to keep $20,000 of unspent campaign money for future elections. Current law requires candidates to close down their campaign accounts after an election.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott says he is opposed to significant increases in campaign contribution limits. Democratic House members argued against the bill, saying it protects incumbents.
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