Del. Saqib Ali (D-Gaithersburg) acknowledged that he has been “rebuked” by some members of the House Ways and Means Committee in regards to his sponsorship of House Bill 347, The Special Legislative Session Campaign Finance Reform Act. Despite what the delegate called a “bumpy hearing” before the committee on Tuesday, Ali told PolitickerMD.com that he would continue to push for the bill to be voted on.

The delegate did not know when or if a vote would be scheduled. Del. Sheila Hixson (D-Silver Spring), the chair of the committee, could not be reached for comment. Del. Ann Marie Doory (D-Baltimore), the vice-chair, was also unavailable.

Ali’s bill would prohibit elected officials from accepting campaign contributions during special legislative sessions. Currently, they are forbidden to do so only during the regular 90-day session.

Reiterating past comments, Ali said he introduced the legislation to prevent the appearance of a conflict of interest or other improprieties.

“When voting on important legislation we want to focus on the policy, not on the politics,” Ali said.

Ali has previously implied that officials who receive contributions during a special session could appear to be beholden to that individual or organization, thus creating the image that he or she might provide political favors to that person or group during a special session.

Last fall, during the special session called by Gov. Martin O’Malley, Ali said elected officials raised $500,000 during the three-week period.

The delegate acknowledged that he received $1503 in contributions during the special session, saying he did so only after confirming the legality with William G. Somerville, the legislature’s ethics counsel.

Ali said the donations he raised largely came in “small pieces over periods of time.” He said the funds were raised “over the phone and on the Internet.”

Dels. Melvin Stukes (D-Baltimore) and Jon Cardin (D-Baltimore) have publicly declared their opposition to the legislation. Both men serve on the Ways and Means Committee.

Stukes has suggested that a restriction on fundraising during a special session could force legislators to cancel expensive fundraisers that were scheduled several months in advance. Earlier this week, Stukes told The Baltimore Sun that he plans for his yearly fundraiser eight months in advance, and invests $10,000 or more on the arrangements.

Ali rebuked his colleagues’ concern that this money could be lost if the legislation is enacted, saying elected officials “should economize on their fundraisers.”

“I hold fundraisers and I don’t spend $10,000,” Ali said. “You don’t have to spend a lot of money.”

He also doubted the need to plan a fundraiser so long in advance, and said that if a special session were to occur “they don’t turn up overnight,” and would give a legislator time to reschedule a fundraiser.

Ali said legislators officially knew about that a special session would be called last fall “one-month in advance,” while saying they were “unofficially” aware “several months in advance.”

Cardin, for his part, has questioned the necessity of the legislation given the rarity of a special session being called.

Ali also disputed this charge, saying, “If it comes up seldom—then why the hesitance?”

He also pointed out that “in the past four years, three special sessions have been called.”

When asked if he thought legislators running for federal office should be forbidden from raising funds for their campaign during a special session, Ali said, “I would prefer that.” While specific language in regards to federal candidates is not present in the current bill, Ali said he would “be open” to further investigation.

The delegate would not predict if the bill would make it through committee and eventually be passed, saying only, “I hope my arguments will prevail.”

Dels. Elizabeth Bobo (D-Columbia) and Ana Sol Gutierrez (D-Chevy Chase) have co-sponsored the legislation.