STAND. COM. REP. NO. 553
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2001
RE: S.B. No. 734
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2001
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Judiciary and Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 734 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to make amendments to the election laws.
Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission and The League of Women Voters of Hawaii.
This measure, among other things:
(1) Deletes from the duties of the Campaign Spending Commission censure of candidates for failing to comply with the code of fair campaign practices;
(2) Allows public funding up to fifteen per cent of the total expenditure limit for governor, lieutenant governor, and mayor offices; twenty per cent for senator, representative, county council member, and prosecuting attorney; and five hundred dollars for board of education and all other offices;
(3) Increases the sums of qualifying campaign contributions to receive public funds for prosecuting attorney for Honolulu to $40,000; Maui county council to $6,000; state senator to $3,000; and state representative to $2,000; and
(4) Clarifies that in a gubernatorial election, both the governor and lieutenant governor candidate running as co-candidates must agree to abide by spending limits or neither shall be eligible to receive public funds.
The code of fair campaign practices was found by a federal judge to be an abridgment of free speech rights. This measure conforms the election laws to that decision. This measure also increases public funding and contributions for certain offices in recognition of the increasing costs of campaigns.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 734 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs,
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____________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair |
____________________________ BRIAN KANNO, Chair |
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