Florida Passes Strict Election Spending Bill

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —  The Florida Senate passed one of the toughest campaign spending bills Wednesday and sent it to Gov. Lawton Chiles, who has advocated such a law since he took office in January.

“We’re very pleased that we’ve started to change the way we elect candidates in this state, and it’s very much in keeping with the way the governor chose to run his campaign last fall,” said Julie Anbender of Chiles’ office.

The governor, a Democrat, campaigned last year under a self-imposed contribution limit of $100 per donor. He defeated former Gov. Bob Martinez, a Republican.

The bill, which passed in the Senate by a 24-16 vote, limits campaign contributions from individuals, political action committees and corporations to $500 and limits contributions from political parties to $50,000. The state House passed the bill, 74 to 38, on Tuesday.

Florida would be the largest state in the nation to have such a low limit, said Bill Jones, executive director of Florida Common Cause, which supported the legislation.

Much of the Senate debate was about public assistance in statewide political campaigns--for governor and six Cabinet seats. The legislation would limit gubernatorial candidates who seek public funds to $5 million and Cabinet candidates to $2 million.

Martinez spent more than $10 million last year in his unsuccessful bid for reelection.

The legislation would allow statewide candidates to receive public money to match individual contributions.