Nine members of the Washington, D.C., city council are sponsoring B20-0120. It is a bill for public funding of candidates for elective city office. Candidates would qualify for public funding if they raise at least $5,000 from at least 50 donors. For purpose of qualifying for public funding, amounts above $100 from any particular donor don’t count.

Candidates who qualify promise to appear in at least two candidate debates. Qualifying candidates receive public funding equal to four times the amount they received in qualifying private donations.

The bill does not discriminate for or against any candidate on the basis of the candidate’s partisan affiliation or independent status. It thus resembles the Arizona and Maine public funding systems, but is unlike the discriminatory system used in Connecticut.

The bill has a Public Roundtable hearing on July 11. It was introduced on February 5.