Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 834 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the amounts of permissible donations to the Hawaii election campaign fund, and to allow taxpayers to make a donation to the Hawaii election campaign fund by check-off on income tax returns.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from The League of Women Voters of Hawaii, HI.CLEAN, and Kauai County League of Women Voters. Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Budget and Finance. The Campaign Spending Commission submitted comments.

Your Committee finds that the public funding of elections and campaigns can reduce the spiraling cost of campaigns and lessen the influence of special interest money.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the new section regarding donation check-off.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 834, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 834, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.