Up now in the Senate: Public funding for Supreme Court campaigns

The Senate is now debating a bill to provide public funding for Supreme Court races.

Sen. Eric Oemig said it was a way of keeping out-of-state money out of our state races.

But Sen. Jerome Delvin said it’s “going down the wrong road.” He said it would restrict and disenfranchise people.

Sen. Don Benton raised a 960 challenge. He said the fee included in the bill — $3 added to county clerk filing fees — doesn’t have a direct nexus to Supreme Court funding and therefore may be considered a tax under 960.

Sen. Tracy Eide said there is a nexus. “These have been held in prior rulings” she said. “The surcharge in this bill is to protect the integrity and the independence of the system,” she said.

They’ve now delayed consideration of the bill.

Tags: supreme court races