With several initiatives likely to appear on election ballots later this year, Rep. Kyle Johansen wants voters to know where every dime lodged for and against is coming from.

The Ketchikan Republican filed a bill late last session that would beef up public disclosure standards for groups formed to support or oppose ballot initiatives. He outlined his intent for this article in January. (The bill has changed a bit -- there's no ban against signature collectors working more than one initiative at a time.)

The bill would require groups that fund initiatives to disclose more of the money trail and do so earlier in the process. The bill also directs the lieutenant governor to hold at least two public hearings in each judicial district on initiatives; sets rules on how signature collectors can be compensated; and calls for the entire initiative, not just a summary, to appear in booklets published before an election.

House Finance heard the bill today, but co-chairman Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak, said he won't move the bill just yet. Part of the problem stemmed from three amendments. Two were offered at the request of the Alaska Public Offices Commission, which didn't have all the answers at hand that lawmakers sought.

One of the provisions debated would require groups to include in their name what initiative they are for or against.

But Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, pointed out the provision could cause problems. What if a group forms against several initiatives or candidates? According to the Department of Law, groups formed on multiple issues have different reporting requirements. Gara said that could make Johansen's plan easy to get around.

The bill is slated for another hearing at 9 a.m. March 16 before House Finance.

Other measures are also at play this year to give Alaskans a better idea of who is after their votes. The hottest measures respond to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing corporate campaigning -- read about that here.