Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 834, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the amounts of permissible income tax check-off donations to the Hawaii election campaign fund.

Your Committee finds that the need for campaign fundraising and increased campaign contributions only fuel the public's cynicism of the election process. Whether it is called "influence peddling" or "special interest money", there is no doubt that the cost of campaigning for public office has increased steadily every election year. This measure is designed to reduce the costs of campaigns to help fund candidates who are willing to abide by publicly funded campaign rules.

Your Committee has amended this bill by lowering the $10 amount for check-off designation to the Hawaii election campaign fund to $5 and making corresponding changes to lower the $20 amount in the case of a joint return to $10. Your Committee has also amended the bill by changing the effective date to December 31, 3001 to make the bill defective in order to promote continuing discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 834, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 834, S.D. 2.