Gov. Jack Markell (D-Delaware) signed a package of eight bills into law Tuesday focusing on campaign finance reform and lobbying disclosure.
But some government transparency advocates were hoping for more action by the General Assembly this year.
For instance, the new laws include a requirement that lobbyists file their financial disclosure forms electronically with the Public Integrity Commission and get fined if they’re late turning them in.
But John Flaherty, President of the Delaware Coalition for Open Government, says residents still have to file formal requests to see those forms.
Flaherty argues the bills signed are a good first step, but much more needs to be done.
“As minimal as these bills might seem, at least we did have the discussion and hopefully that discussion will continue next year with more and greater disclosure so we can all can make our own decisions about how, not only our elected officials, but all the public officials that are regulated by the Public Integrity Commission, are doing.”
Other legislation signed by Markell included new protections for campaign finance whistleblowers, such as employees reporting campaign finance violationsat their company and clarifies rules governing contributions made from joint checking accounts.
Another new law allows candidates to give illegal contributions to charity, which is what Markell did with tens of thousands of dollars illegally donated by liquor magnate Christopher Tigani and developer Michael Zimmerman. Both were convicted.
Former Delaware Chief Justice Norman Veasey issued a report late last year after investigating those illegal contributions, as well as others accepted by elected officials.
The package of bill largely sprang from that report's recommendations and Flaherty says applauds Veasey’s work to bring these issues forward.
“I think without the Veasey report, without the pressure of that constantly being brought up, I think very little of this would’ve been accomplished down there [at Legislative Hall],” said Flaherty.