The campaign finance overhaul unveiled in New York last month by the Campaign Finance Reform Commission is now law.

This happened automatically when the Legislature missed a December 22 deadline to convene and vote to block or amend the proposal.

The changes include:

• Steep drops in state contribution limits
• Stricter ballot qualification criteria
• The creation of a new regulatory agency called the Public Campaign Finance Board
• Public financing of elections

Many of the new rules become effective at the start of the new year.

However, the public financing will not kick in until 2026.

San Luis Obispo City Council will review a proposed ordinance to create a system of democracy voucher funding for municipal elections. The voucher system provides each registered voter with a $20 voucher that can be donated to the municipal candidate of choice. Candidates opting in to receive the voucher funds would be restricted to using only those funds; the program is optional because it is unconstitutional to completely ban privately funded elections.

This ordinance would also create an ethics commission and require reporting on independent expenditures over $500. The council will review the ordinance on March 15, 2016.

County Council has voted to enact public financing for county elections beginning with the 2015-2018 election cycle. Bill 16-14 will establish a public election fund, regulate participating candidates, and authorize the Maryland State Board of Elections to enforce the provisions.

To qualify, candidates for county executive or council must demonstrate viability by raising a specific number of small individual contributions between $5 and $150. Candidates for county executive need at least 500 contributions totaling $40,000. At-large council candidates must collect 250 donations worth $20,000.

Maryland lawmakers included a public funding option for counties as part of a 2013 campaign finance reform bill. Montgomery is the first county to pass such a public campaign financing measure.

Lobbying

“Lobbying World” in The Hill.

“Lobby cash goes underground in PR boom” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill.

“Former Rep. Andrews registers as lobbyist” by Mario Trujillo in The Hill.

“Number of Lobbyists That Leave K Street for Capitol Hill Reaches 10-Year Low” by Ayobami Olugbemiga in InTheCapital.

Rhode Island: “R.I.’s probe into 38 Studios loan expanding; lawmakers report threatening letters” by Katherine Gregg in the Providence Journal.

Campaign Finance

Connecticut: “Connecticut lawmakers pass back-up funding stream for public campaign financing fund” by The Associated Press in The Republic.

Maine: “Maine group seeks ballot initiative on clean elections, campaign finance laws” by The Associated Press in The Republic.

New York: “Finishing the Job Teddy Roosevelt Started: Public Financing of Elections” by Governor Andrew Cuomo in The Huffington Post.

New York: “Senate Democrats: More Reasons Than Ever To Adopt Reform Bills” by Karen DeWitt on WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Virginia: “Lawyers: Supreme Court rulings on campaign finance limits favor McDonnell defense arguments” by Alan Suderman (Associated Press) in the Star Tribune.

Wisconsin: “Federal judge orders halt to ‘John Doe’ investigation” by Dee J. Hall in the Wisconsin State Journal.

Ethics

Kansas: “Associates of Kansas Governor Are Investigated Over Fund-Raising and Lobbying” by Jonathan Martin in The New York Times.

Kentucky: “Member Of Ethics Panel Resigns Over Arnold Case” by The Associated Press on WUKY.

Michigan: “Ex-Meijer attorney tells ethics panel he didn’t know retailer violated campaign finance law” by Shandra Martinez in Michigan Live.

South Carolina: “SC House panel OKs ethics plan over Haley’s objection” by Jamie Self in The State.

Texas: “Rick Perry addresses ethics probe” by The Associated Press in Politico.

Government Tech and Social Media

“Politicos make a splash on Time’s ’140 Best Twitter Feeds of 2014′” by Billy Mitchell in FedScoop.