By KYLE CRANE
KU Statehouse Wire Service

TOPEKA — The Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that would enable low-spending legislative candidates to avoid filing campaign finance reports. The bill is one of several efforts by the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee to update campaign finance statutes.

Senate Bill 98 raises the limit, from $500 to $1,000, for how much a candidate can receive and spend in their campaigns before being required to submit a campaign finance report, which lists all donors and expenses.

Sen. Mitch Holmes, R-St. John, chair of the committee sponsoring the bill said the $500 threshold was adjusted to account for inflation in the 40 years since the statute was first enacted. He said the increase would especially benefit candidates in local races.

“It should be quite a boost for them,” Holmes said. “That $500 limit gets implemented pretty quick.”

Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence, said doubling the limit is appropriate because most candidates spend more than $500. She said the responsibility of submitting finance reports might turn away candidates who want to spend more.

“We don’t want to discourage individuals from having an opportunity as a candidate to express concerns that they have,” Francisco said.

The bill now will move to the House where Sen. Holmes said it is likely to pass.

The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee advanced two other bills aimed at campaign finance reform that likely will make it to the Senate floor in the near future.

Senate Bill 339 passed a preliminary vote in the Senate on Wednesday. The bill would eliminate the requirement for treasurers of candidates, political committees and party committees to report the identity, industry and occupation of contributors who give more than $150.

Also, Senate Bill 156 was sent to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The bill would raise limits on individual campaign donations and the value of gifts accepted by legislative candidates.