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SJM 8001

Calling on Congress to exercise its authority under Article V of the United States Constitution to regulate money spent on elections.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Steve Conway and 4 co-sponsors

Urges Congress to propose a constitutional amendment to regulate money in elections, restrict corporate/anonymous spending, and require prompt public disclosure of contributions.

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
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Bill Summary · SJM 8001

Summary of SJM 8001 (Washington) – Senate Joint Memorial

Purpose and intent

SJM 8001 is a joint memorial in the Washington State Legislature urging the United States Congress to exercise its authority under Article V of the U.S. Constitution to propose, and send for ratification, a constitutional amendment addressing money in elections. The memorial argues that large, anonymous, and outside-entity spending threatens election integrity and that Congress and the states should be empowered to regulate the size and timing of political contributions, distinguish natural persons from artificial entities, and require prompt disclosure of sources and amounts of contributions.

Key provisions (as memorialized content)

The memorial specifies several core demands for a proposed amendment, including:

1) Authority to regulate political contributions and expenditures
- Congress and state legislatures would be empowered to regulate the size and timing of contributions to election campaigns, whether direct to campaigns or to ballot measures, including groups making independent expenditures related to campaigns.
- Authority to distinguish between natural persons and artificial entities (e.g., corporations, other entities) and to prohibit certain entities from spending money to influence elections.

2) Public disclosure
- Require timely public disclosure of the source and amount of all such contributions.

3) Rights and interpretation
- State that the rights listed in the U.S. Constitution belong to individual human beings only.
- Direct that the judiciary shall not construe money spent in elections as free speech under the First Amendment.

4) Disclosure timing and accessibility
- All political contributions and expenditures must be disclosed promptly and in a manner accessible to voters prior to elections.

5) Scope of rights
- Clarify that the proposed amendment does not limit rights to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, free exercise of religion, or freedom of association.

6) Formal transmission
- Requires that copies of the memorial be transmitted to federal and state leaders and all Washington members of Congress.

Who/what would be affected

  • Political campaigns, committees, and groups involved in campaign financing (candidates, ballot measures, super PACs, political action committees, and independent expenditure groups).
  • Entity types: natural persons versus artificial entities (e.g., corporations, labor unions, and other legally created entities).
  • Public disclosure processes and systems for campaign finance information.
  • The interpretation of First Amendment protections related to money in politics, as proposed by the memorial.

Procedural and timeline context

  • Status: First reading, referred to State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.
  • Introduced: December 23, 2024 (prefiled).
  • Legislative actions: First reading recorded on January 13, 2025; referred to committee for consideration.
  • Nature of instrument: A non-binding Joint Memorial, which expresses the Washington Legislature’s support for a federal constitutional amendment rather than creating enforceable state law.

Potential impact and considerations

  • If Congress acts on this memorial, the result would be a federally proposed amendment enabling stricter regulation of money in elections, potentially affecting corporate spending, independent expenditures, and disclosure standards.
  • As a memorial, it does not by itself alter state or federal law but signals WA’s policy stance and priorities to federal lawmakers.
  • The proposal aligns with reform efforts aimed at reducing the influence of large, anonymous contributions and increasing transparency in campaign finance.

Bottom line

SJM 8001 is a Washington-crafted plea for a federal constitutional amendment under Article V to empower regulation of election money, restrict corporate/anonymous spending, and strengthen disclosure, while preserving specified individual rights. It is currently in the early legislative stage (first reading) and non-binding in nature.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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