The state House has signed off on a proposal overhauling Connecticut's public campaign financing rules. The measure bars campaign treasurers from paying more than a thousand dollars to candidates' family members or entities they might own.  New Fairfield state Representative Richard Smith says the public has been dissatisfied with campaigns lately and this proposal will promote campaigns that the public can be proud of, and campaigns voters can be happy to support. 

It also caps organizational expenses state parties can spend on behalf of participating candidates, eliminates grants for unopposed candidates and reduces grants to candidates including governor by 25 percent.

While it gained easy approval in the House, its prospects of clearing the Senate remain uncertain.

The Democratic controlled chamber approved the bill on a bipartisan vote of 134-12. Much of the language was included in a proposal offered in January by minority Republicans to close what they called loopholes in the current campaign financing laws.