Today, voting rights groups are opposing a proposal to dramatically increase the amount of money that individuals can contribute to political campaigns in Florida.
Current Florida law prevents citizens from contributing more than $500 to any campaign, a figure that House Speaker Will Weatherford has blasted as "archaic." The new law (HB 569) that's moving through the Florida House would raise the figure to $10,000, making it one of the most generous in the country.
The law also would eliminate Committees of Continuous Existence (CCEs) — the political committees that can collect unlimited funds but can't spend on campaigns — and provide for quicker transparency of campaign contributions.
On Thursday, Deirdre Macnab, president of League of Women Voters of Florida, said her organization was "deeply concerned" about the $10,000 proposed limits.
This article appears in Feb 14-20, 2013.