Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, and Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo, run a PAC that is supposed to help GOP lawmakers and candidates in Utah County.

If any of these groups or individuals routed money to campaigns from the PACs, they would be in the same situation as Huntsman — the source of much of that campaign cash wouldn't be known until the PAC filings later in the year.

Now, from a PAC's year-end report, you can see who gave to that PAC the year before. And it's likely that some of that money is funneled into the candidate's campaign the next spring and summer. But one could form a new PAC in January, fundraise like mad into it, transfer money from it to the campaign account, and there would be no public reporting, last year or this year, on that PAC's contributions until early September.

The answer may be a bit awkward but is clear: Require any PAC formed or controlled by a candidate/officeholder to report on the same deadlines as a personal candidate campaign account.

Large PACs like the ones run by the Utah Education Association or Utah Realtors wouldn't have to meet the new reporting deadlines, since they are not formed or controlled by candidates/officeholders.

Utah legislators are often slow, or just plain stubborn, in dealing with campaign finance loopholes — since those loopholes often benefit them directly.

But they should act to close this loophole in their next Legislature.

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Deseret News political editor Bob Bernick Jr. may be reached by e-mail at bbjr@desnews.com