• Provide optional matching funds to candidates in statewide and state legislative races, with participating candidates required to adhere to campaign spending limits and all candidates required to adhere to newly-established contribution limits;
• Limit amounts that can be donated to candidates and political committees;
• Ban soft money contributions to political parties' housekeeping accounts;
• Ban fundraising events by state legislators and statewide candidates within a 40-mile radius of Albany during the legislative session;
• Improve campaign finance reporting procedures;
• Close loopholes that allow corporations to avoid campaign contribution limits by funneling donations through subsidiary companies;
• Require that clear identification of the funding source for communication materials circulated in support of or against candidates; and
• Empower local governments to enact public financing programs for local campaigns.

Sidikman sponsors legislation (A.1460) that would penalize a corporation that violates annual campaign contribution limits by reducing its contribution limits the following year.

"New York State's current campaign finance law is a disgrace," said New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) Legislative Director Blair Horner. "Speaker Silver and the Assembly Majority have put forth a sweeping reform plan that not only drastically limits the influence of powerful special interests, but which also ensures that more New Yorkers of modest means will have a chance to run for political office. NYPIRG strongly urges the governor and the Senate to support this legislation."

"We have seen an alarming decrease in voter turnout in recent years, which I believe is a symptom of increased public cynicism caused by the amount and source of money spent on campaigns," said Assemblyman Alexander "Pete" Grannis (D-Manhattan). "Our system of government benefits from an informed electorate, which is why I introduced a bill to ensure that New Yorkers receive information about ballot propositions."

Assemblyman Grannis is the sponsor of legislation that would require the state Board of Elections to provide printed explanatory information regarding ballot propositions for any general election in which such propositions are to be considered (A.243-A). The information would be prepared by a bi-partisan committee and mailed to every household in the state with a registered voter.

"The Assembly led the way in computerizing state-level campaign records, and now we have a proven and smoothly functioning system," said Assemblywoman Sandra Galef (D-Ossining), who is the sponsor of legislation to allow counties to require electronic filing of financial disclosure forms by political committees (A.5746-A). "With more and more being spent on local races, it is time to bring computerization to the local level."

"Even when an election is over, the public has the right to know from whom hundreds of thousands of dollars are raised and how those funds will be spent," said Assemblyman David Gantt (D-Rochester), who sponsors legislation to make inaugural committees subject to all campaign finance laws that apply to candidates (A.123). "This bill will strip away the veil of secrecy that now protects those who seek to influence elected officials by contributing to their inaugural committees."

For candidates who choose to participate in contribution limits and public funding under the Campaign Finance Reform Act, only the first $500 of a campaign contribution would be eligible for matching funds, at a rate of two dollars for every one dollar contributed. In races in which a participating candidate faces a non-participating opponent who spends either $250,000 or more in personal funds or more than one-third of the limit applicable to the participating candidate, contribution limits are doubled, there is no expenditure limit and campaign contributions would be eligible for matching funds at a rate of four dollars for every one dollar contributed.

"The Assembly campaign finance reform package truly has the potential to restore public confidence, re-energize the electorate, and make New York a model for the rest of the country,"" said Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol (D-Brooklyn). "We urge the Senate and the governor to join our efforts."