Ryan Alessi at Kentucky's Lexington Herald-Leader writes about efforts underway in the state to improve campaign finance disclosure regulations after Kentucky fell in the rankings of the Campaign Disclosure Project from 10th to 13th. Officials are looking to take advantage of new electronic filing capabilities to make campaign finance filings more readily available. Other reforms are being suggested - including public financing.

Rep. Kathy Stein (D) is suggesting the state return to a public financing program. Kentucky had a matching funds program in effect in 1995 and 1999 for the Governor's race, but it was thrown out in 2003. Perhaps the energy to make Kentucky's campaign finance laws among the strongest in the nation will translate into their consideration of a public financing program on par with Clean Elections systems in states like Arizona, Maine and Connecticut. Rep. Stein expresses a desire to "focus more on issues and campaigning rather than on raising money" and that's what Clean Elections would offer.