On June 13, I testified before the Maryland Commission to Study Campaign Finance Law, which was created by the legislature in 2011 to study areas in which state campaign finance laws can be reformed. My testimony focused on the importance of creating a Clean Elections-style voluntary public financing system for legislative and statewide races modeled on similar programs in Arizona, Connecticut, and Maine. Here is part of my testimony:

"Marylanders really want to know how our system of financing elections will be changed.  A voluntary small-dollar matching system, coupled with robust disclosure and common-sense independent expenditure reform, is the most comprehensive way to put everyday citizens back in charge of elections." 

Maryland has a voluntary public financing program for gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial candidates. However, no major party candidate has used the system since 1994, and it needs to be reformed.