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Common Cause testimony in support of H.B. 525     January 26, 2000 Ray Cadwallader, Executive Director Common Cause/Ohio Ohio House Ethics and Standards Committee The Honorable Jeff Jacobson, Chair It is my privilege to appear before the Ohio House of Representatives Ethics Committee Chaired by Representative Jeff Jacobson. HB 525 sponsored by Repr. Redfern of Port Clinton, Ohio speaks to the subject of minor children presently being allowed to contribute any amount up to the amount the law allows people of majority to contribute. There presently is no restriction from parents making contributions in the name of their minors. This allows for a loop hole to contributors to give more than they would, otherwise, contribute. When a child reaches voting age, he or she can make contributions just though they were adults. It is obvious to campaign finance reform people that the child before reaching voting age is being used as a ploy to dodge the present law. This ploy is bad education for our children. It teaches that child that "If daddy can play the money game with campaigns so can I." This is a bad lesson for our children. The recent decision of the United States Supreme Court, Shrink v. Nixon, has caused a recent major change in our outlook on campaign finance reform. State legislators will now have to think about such subjects as soft money, mandatory campaign filing, public financing and a myriad of other subjects without hiding behind Buckley v. Valeo. We applaud Rep. Redfern for his foresight on these matters, offer our endorsement and admonish other elected officials to step forth and "See the Sun".