STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3162

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2656

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 2656 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify the definition of "immediate family" to include reciprocal beneficiaries for the purpose of the campaign financing laws.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; The Gay and Lesbian Education and Advocacy Foundation; and two individuals.  Comments were received from the Campaign Spending Commission.

     Under current law, campaign contributions from a candidate's "immediate family" are exempt from certain contribution limits.  This measure makes these exemptions available to reciprocal beneficiaries, thus enabling them to participate and contribute to the election process as would a candidate's immediate family.

     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. 2656, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair