July 30, 2015
Mayor Michael Nutter signed legislation Thursday requiring independent organizations to file campaign finance disclosures, an attempt to bring greater transparency to city elections.
The legislation mandates that non-candidate parties that fundraise for the purpose of impacting elections must submit campaign finance reports every two weeks, beginning six weeks before an election. Non-candidate groups include nonprofit organizations, corporations, partnerships and political action committees.
Disclosures regarding electioneering communications, such TV ads purchased by non-candidate parties, are also required within 50 days of an election.
The bill followed a Democratic mayoral primary in which a significant amount of so-called "dark money" was spent by independent groups to influence the election. Both Democratic nominee Jim Kenney and runner-up Anthony Hardy Williams benefitted from advertisements purchased by independent groups.
"This law will illuminate Philadelphia's election process by expanding the reporting requirements for organizations that fundraise for the purpose of spending money on elections," Nutter said in a statement. "Policy-makers, the courts and the public have long recognized that the best way to check the potential influence of campaign dollars on the decision-making of elected officials is to require public disclosure."
The bill passed City Council unanimously on June 11. It was drafted in cooperation with the Board of Ethics.
