The issue of campaign finance reform has been a long-standing source of controversy, especially in Florida where there are no enforced limits on campaign contributions. In 2018, Ron DeSantis, then a U.S. Congressional candidate, proposed a new measure to reform campaign finance in the state. DeSantis proposed a “pay to play” amendment that would require all elected officials and government contractors to disclose all political donations that they make to political campaigns. The amendment would also make those disclosures publicly available.
DeSantis’ proposal was immediately met with both support and opposition from a variety of organizations. Some argued that the amendment would bring much-needed transparency to the political process, while others felt it could infringe upon free speech and ultimately limit people’s ability to participate in the political process.
State legislators also expressed mixed reactions, with some voicing their support for the measure and others expressing concern that the amendment could be unconstitutional. At the federal level, the measure received mixed reviews from members of Congress, with some vocal supporters and others expressing reservations.
Ultimately, the amendment was scrapped in 2019, when a new law was enacted that made some changes to campaign finance laws but not the drastic reforms proposed by DeSantis.
