A Kalispell lawmaker is reviving a proposal he brought four years earlier to eliminate Montanaâs Commissioner of Political Practices, the stateâs enforcer of campaign finance and lobbying laws. The bill, brought by Republican Rep. Derek Skees, got its first hearing Thursday in the House State Administration Committee. Similar to legislation that passed the House in the 2017 session before stalling out in the Senate, House Bill 535 proposes shifting much of the COPP officeâs duties to the Secretary of State, including receiving campaign statements and reports for candidates and political committees. Under the new bill, the Secretary of State would also be responsible for receiving and investigating campaign finance and election complaints. If it finds âsufficient evidence to justify a civil or criminal prosecution,â a new, four-person panel of legislators would review the case and determine whether to pursue it further.