Topeka ? Four campaign finance bills were approved Friday by the House after its Republican majority blocked a stronger Democratic proposal to require interest groups to disclose more information.

All four measures cleared the House by large margins and went to the Senate. An ethics official and Republican leaders described them as significant, but Democrats saw them as modest.

They rewrite laws governing what candidates and groups must report and how candidates can use their campaign funds. The biggest changes will require more disclosure by candidates, political party groups and political action committees.

Democrats want even greater disclosure by groups that sponsor “issue” ads, which often discuss a candidate’s position on an issue without specifically urging people to vote for or against that person.

“This is in the spirit of open government,” said Rep. Raj Goyle, a Wichita Democrat. “We should all know who’s playing in our political process.”

Many Republicans are skeptical of such proposals, fearing they’d discourage political speech. The House voted 75-46 against an amendment offered by Democrats to one of the campaign finance bills.

“There’s great concern that if we pass something like this, we will chill political speech,” said Rep. Pat Colloton, a Leawood Republican.

Groups must disclose their expenditures – and who contributes to them – if they “expressly advocate” a candidate’s election or defeat, either by giving contributions or by independent activities. Often, it comes down to whether their ads use “magic” words, such as “vote for,” “support” or “defeat.”

Democrats and some moderate Republicans have complained for years about mailings and broadcast advertising by conservative groups.

But Sen. Tim Huelskamp, a conservative Fowler Republican, said House Democrats’ proposed language was broad enough to include almost any attempt to inform Kansans about legislators’ voting records.

“This is well beyond electioneering,” said Huelskamp, chairman of the Senate Elections and Local Government Committee.