Alaska lawmaker introduces lying ban

JUNEAU, Alaska, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- An Alaska legislator has a goal -- outlawing false campaign advertising in the state.

Republican Jay Ramras has introduced a bill that would give the Public Offices Commission the power to fine campaigns if there are public complaints of false advertising that prove to be justified, the Anchorage Daily News reports.

Ramras, a lodge owner in Fairbanks, was elected to the Legislature this fall. He says he got the idea for the bill during his campaign when voters complained about advertising as he went door to door.

While Ramras is a political newcomer, he is no stranger to the spotlight. In the 1990s, he won national attention when he traveled to New York to look for a wife, seeking a Jewish woman willing to move to Fairbanks.

The four-month legislative session opens Jan. 10 in Juneau.