A bill that started as a crime prevention measure got changed into a campaign finance reform bill. Republican St. Rep. Ryan Spain of Peoria objected this month to the bill’s limits on campaign contributions to committees for electing or retaining judge candidates. The bill bans anonymous contributions and donations of more than $500,000 from the same person. He says it was in reaction to the campaign against Tom Kilbride’s Illinois Supreme Court retention.
In the House, Republicans Tom Demmer and David Welter also voted against the revised bill. In the Senate, where the changes were made, Republicans Sue Rezin and Brian Stewart voted no.