Litigation

Legislators Advance Disclosure Bill in Alaska

By Peter Hardin

Could Alaska be one of the next states to enact a new law requiring corporations to disclose their political spending?

Alaska’s state Senate approved recently such a bill in response to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in January. The measure also requires disclosure in political advertising of the top five contributors to the ad, or the group sponsoring it, according to an editorial in the Anchorage Daily News.

“In light of the Supreme Court decision, this is necessary legislation to keep Alaska elections open,” the editorial declared. “The court amplified corporate power. The least Alaska can do in response is to make sure we can identify the sources of that power and their interests as we decide how to vote.”

This week, a similar bill was cleared by the House Judiciary Committee, and it next is to be considered by the House Finance Committee, the Associated Press reported.

You can learn about other states that have passed disclosure laws in response to Citizens United by checking out earlier posts from Gavel Grab.

Full post as published by The Gavel on April 13, 2010 (boomark / email).