STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1611

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1130

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 1130, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAMPAIGN SPENDING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

(1)  Clarify the treatment of internet activity under the campaign spending law;

(2)  Require noncandidate committees to register earlier under certain circumstances;

(3)  Modify the electronic filing law, including extending mandatory electronic filing to noncandidate committees and Board of Education candidates;

(4)  Clarify provisions related to caps on contributions from nonresident individuals and persons;

(5)  Reinstate language in section 11-209(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, that was deleted by Act 203, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, pertaining to eligibility of candidates for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for partial public financing;

(6)  Increase the amounts available to candidates who apply for partial public financing; and

(7)  Make technical changes relating to filing deadlines and filing periods.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission and a member of the Hawaii County Council.  Voter Owned Elections Hawaii, the president of Hawaii Clean Elections, a member of the League of Women Voters and numerous individuals testified in support of the bill if amended to include comprehensive public funding provisions.

     Your Committee finds it inappropriate to restrict the number of fundraising events that a candidate is permitted to hold based solely on whether the candidate is running for a statewide election.

     Accordingly, your Committee, with the concurrence of the State Campaign Spending Commission Executive Director, has amended this measure by:

(1)  Adding a new section to the bill that amends section 11-203, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to delete susbsections (b) and (d); and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1130, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1130, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair