Clean Money Bill Passes Full Assembly

Woo Hoo. AB 583 passed in the California State Assembly yesterday in a 45-34 vote.

From today's CA Clean Money email update:

The version of AB 583 that passed is a pilot project that will provide full Clean Money public financing for the office of Governor and one open Assembly and State Senate seat in 2010.

Modeled after successful systems in Arizona and Maine, AB 583 will allow Californians the opportunity to vote for a gubernatorial candidate in 2010 who hasn't accepted any money from special interests, as well as serving as a pilot program that will allow California voters and candidates to see how a Clean Money system would actually work in California. After which, they'll almost certainly demand it for all state offices.

As Assemblymember Jared Huffman said describing why we need Clean Money while rising to speak in support of the bill:

"Anyone who thinks that taxpayers are not already paying the price for this broken political system, this money dominated political system, is kidding themselves... The taxpayers are paying a hidden tax because of this money dominated system."

It's a beautiful thing.

The next stop is the Senate Elections Committee, so we're not done yet. I'll let you know when I hear any news.