STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1625-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2579

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2579, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve campaign spending laws by:

     (1)  Establishing fines and procedures for failing to file required campaign spending reports or for filing substantially defective or deficient reports;

     (2)  Provide that administrative fines imposed under the campaign contributions subpart of Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall be deposited into the general fund instead of the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund (Fund); and

     (3)  Increasing from $2 to $3 the amount that may be paid to the Fund from the income tax check-off contained on the state income tax return form.

     The Campaign Spending Commission and League of Women Voters of Hawaii supported this bill.  The Department of Taxation submitted comments.

     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. 2579, 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,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair