Even small steps toward better reporting of campaign contributions in Kansas deserve some recognition.

State legislators continue to block legislation that would require greater disclosure by groups that sponsor “issue” ads, which supposedly address issues without endorsing candidates. Such groups are required to report their expenditures and who their donors are only if they “expressly advocate” for a candidate’s election defeat. Although the suggested support for a candidate often is clear, many groups successfully walk the fine line that keeps the source of their money secret from voters.

On the brighter side, however, a few measures that marginally improve the openness of campaign finance are working their way through the Legislature. The House has approved a bill that would require political action committees and party groups, which already report on their activities, to spell out who is intended to benefit from their expenditures. Another measure would require candidates to list the industry or individual occupation of anyone who contributes $150 or more to their campaigns. Both of these bills provide additional information that voters may find useful and currently are under consideration by the Kansas Senate.

Perhaps the biggest improvement for voters, however, is the bill that will require more timely reporting of contributions in the final days before an election. Currently, the last reports on campaign contributions and expenditures are required to be filed 11 days before the election. The bill that currently is in a House-Senate conference committee, would require another report just five days before the election. That report would be required by any candidate that receives more than $300 in contributions and all PACs and party groups that spend more than $50 in the period between 11 and five days before the election.

None of these bills adds restrictions on who can contribute to a campaign or how much money they can give. The only change is to provide voters more information on who may be seeking to influence the outcome of an election, especially with a large influx of money or advertising in the final days before an election. Voters need and deserve that information as part of their decision-making process.

More openness on campaign contributions still is needed, but the bills currently under consideration are a step in the right direction.