SB754

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	754
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

proposing an amendment to article II, section 5, of the hawaii state constitution REGARDING public financing of campaigns for public office.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature acknowledges public concerns about the current private financing system for election campaigns in Hawaii. Campaign donation scandals in Hawaii have highlighted a "pay to play" system among government contractors who feel they must donate to state and county executives to be considered for contracts.

In the legislative branch, most campaign contributors of larger-sized donations to legislators have a stake in legislation that could affect their interests. When this happens, a conflict of interest between the legislator’s public duty and the legislator's responsibility as a serious-minded candidate is sometimes or often perceived by the public.

On both national and local political levels, public trust of elected officials have steadily declined in the past decade. This is due in part to a public perception that the first loyalty of politicians is to their own self-interests for re‑election and securing campaign donations and secondarily for the public good. Whether true or not, this perception has eroded the people’s spirit of democracy and has reduced our civic capacity to solve national and local problems.

The legislature finds that one possible means of addressing these concerns is to allow public financing of election campaigns. The range of public financing could be a small amount, as is currently the case, or high enough to allow participating candidates to be competitive. While the Hawaii constitution provides for partial public funding of campaigns, there is doubt whether full public financing is allowed for the full range of public financing levels, including the full funding of campaigns.

The purpose of the Act is to propose an amendment to article II, section 5, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to allow a full range of public financing levels of campaigns for public offices of the State and its political subdivisions.

SECTION 2. Article II, section 5, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii is amended to read as follows:

"CAMPAIGN FUNDING, SPENDING LIMIT

SECTION 5. The legislature shall establish a campaign fund to be used for [~~partial~~] public financing of campaigns for public offices of the State and its political subdivisions, as provided by law. The legislature shall provide a limit on the campaign spending of candidates."

SECTION 3. The question to be printed on the ballot shall be as follows:

"Shall a full range of public financing levels be allowed for campaigns for public offices in the State and its political subdivisions?"

SECTION 4. Constitutional material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.

SECTION 5. This amendment shall take effect upon compliance with article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________