A Senate committee Wednesday killed an attempt by a Davis County senator to change state law so that election candidates, current and former officeholders could be fined for using campaign contributions for personal spending.

Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, introduced a proposal earlier this week that would fine candidates and officeholders as much as $1,000 each time they are found to have used donated campaign funds for private expenditures.

Senate Bill 195 would have directed how leftover contributions can be spent after a campaign or term of service is over.

"As we receive money as candidates, this is not our money," Bell said. "This money is the mother's milk of politics, and it ought to be used for politics."

In an attempt to get the bill past a Senate committee Wednesday, Bell removed the provision relating to personal use of campaign funds while a person is running for or serving in office.

The original bill defined personal use as an expenditure that provides a benefit not "reasonably related" to political purposes, or to fulfilling the duties of a particular elected office.

Some senators questioned the clarity of the definition, and said it would be difficult, if not impossible, to apply it evenly to all cases in which campaign funds might be considered misspent.

SB 195 would apply to people running for state, legislative, or school board offices. It would also apply to those already in office, as well as those who have withdrawn from a race, been defeated, or who leave office for any reason.

Bell said the bill was still useful without the personal use provision, because it mandated that those who withdraw, are defeated, or leave office divest their remaining campaign funds in specific ways.

The bill states that those funds can only be spent for political purposes, donated to charity, or donated to the state.

Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, voted for the bill Wednesday, but said greater public transparency in campaign spending is the only sure way to resolve the issue.

Despite Bell's concession, the committee was deadlocked on a 3-3 vote. The tie vote doesn't officially kill the bill, but prevents it from advancing to the Senate floor.

Bell said there is nothing else he can do that would get the bill past the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee.

Senate Bill 195 Use of Campaign Contributions

Sponsor: Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights

This bill would modify the Election Code by enacting provisions governing the personal use and disposition of campaign funds.