STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1291-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.B. No. 3104

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 3104, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to establish a comprehensive public funding program for candidates seeking election to office in the State House of Representatives who agree to abide by campaign contribution and expenditure limits and meet other criteria.

Among other things, this bill specifies that:

(1) Candidates seeking comprehensive public funding must collect $3 qualifying contributions from at least one and one-half percent of registered voters in the district in which office is sought;

(2) The number of comprehensive publicly funded candidates shall be limited to a maximum of three candidates in each district on a first-come, first-served basis;

(3) The base amount of comprehensive public funding shall be computed at 150 percent of the voluntary expenditure limit for the office of State Representative pursuant to section 11-209, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(4) The distribution of comprehensive public funding to certified candidates shall not exceed $3,500,000 in a general election year;

(5) Comprehensive publicly funded candidates may receive equalizing funds up to 100 percent of the amount of the base amount of comprehensive public funding to match amounts received by nonparticipating candidates; and

(6) Comprehensive publicly funded candidates must adhere to certain restrictions on contributions and expenditures.

The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Life of the Land, Hawaii Coalition For Good Government, Hawaii Clean Elections Coalition, Kokua Council, Advocates For Consumer Rights, First Unitarian Church, and two individuals testified in support of this measure. The Office of Elections offered comments, and the Campaign Spending Commission opposed this bill.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3104, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

		____________________________ DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair