BOSTON – A trial date has been set in December for a lawsuit challenging a Massachusetts campaign-finance law that lets unions contribute as much as $15,000 to a candidate for election to a state or local office while barring businesses from making any contributions at all.
The action came just weeks after a federal judge in Kentucky granted a preliminary injunction in a similar case, challenging a state law that lets unions donate to campaigns but bars corporations from doing so. The March 31 ruling cited the unequal treatment of corporations and unions under the state law.
When the House finishes its deliberations on the state budget this week, the Legislature will have 13 weeks left to finish its formal business for the two-year session. A ban on using a hand-held devices while driving appears to be among the select items on the House's agenda for the final stretch of the session.
"That's one of the bill's that is gaining some momentum from members and I think it's something we're going to look at," Rep. Ted Speliotis, chairman of the Committee on Bills in the Third Reading, told the News Service. "Clearly that's something that has some support out there, so I'm sure we'll look at it after the budget."
