On March 11, the U.S. Senate passed HR 2019 unanimously. It had passed the House on December 11, 2013, by 295-103. It ends public funding for major party presidential conventions, a program that has existed since 1976. See this story. The money will instead be spent for research on childhood diseases. The bill is sponsored by Representative Gregg Harper (R-Mississippi).
The only party, other than the Democratic and Republican Parties, which ever received public funding for its national convention was the Reform Party in 2000. Thanks to Rick Hasen for this news.
It would have been far better had the savings from this been put towards reducing the deficit rather than being reallocated. But at least Independent and minor party tax payers are no longer footing the bill for these private conventions.