STAND. COM. REP. NO. 817

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1068

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1068, S.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 increase the amount of campaign expenditures that may be spent by candidates per voter for state and county elections who voluntarily agree to limit their campaign spending.

     Hawai‘i Clean Elections submitted written comments in support of this measure with reservations.  The Kokua Council submitted written comments in opposition to this measure.  The Campaign Spending Commission submitted written comments.

     Your Committee finds that this measure strives to improve Hawaii's partial public funding system by:

     (1)  Increasing expenditure limits for candidates who voluntarily agree to limit their campaign expenditures;

     (2)  Permitting candidates for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney to qualify for partial public financing; and

     (3)  Increasing the matching funds available to candidates for certain public offices.

     Your Committee believes that this measure will encourage more candidates to voluntarily limit their campaign expenditures and participate in the State's publicly funded election program.

     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. 1068, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair