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Ducey To Decide On Revamped Arizona Campaign Finance Law

Governor Doug Ducey has a bill on his desk that would revamp Arizona’s campaign finance laws. The House approved Senate Bill 1516, largely along party lines, Wednesday, after hours of debate. Representative JD Mesnard, a Chandler Republican, backs the changes.

"The Supreme Court has ruled that we have a right to associate. We have a right to speech, of which our money is speech. We have a right to privacy in those associations. And I think that should be respected," he said.

But critics, including Democratic Representative Bruce Wheeler of Tucson, argued for more transparency.

"The majority of my constituents would think that they would want to know who is contributing to organizations that wish to propose or influence laws in the state of Arizona. I want to know who's behind that effort," he said.

Howie Fischer of Capitol Media Services gave a sense of what was in the bill.

Since the Supreme Court’s ruling in the so-called Citizens United case in 2010, states have been making changes to their campaign finance laws. John Dunbar, political editor for the Center for Public Integrity, spoke about where Arizona falls.

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Mark Brodie is a co-host of The Show, KJZZ’s locally produced news magazine. Since starting at KJZZ in 2002, Brodie has been a host, reporter and producer, including several years covering the Arizona Legislature, based at the Capitol.