Report Title:

Election Campaigns; Contributions

Description:

Applies the election campaign contributions and expenditures law to candidates for the neighborhood boards; requires candidates for neighborhood board elections to file an organizational report with the campaign spending commission regarding campaign contributions used for printing and mailing campaign material.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	669
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

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

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that county neighborhood boards have very competitive elections with more candidates receiving campaign contributions to finance their election.  The legislature is concerned about possible undue interest group influence in the neighborhood board elections, in view of the current practice of mailing out newsletters, brochures, or door flyers to promote a candidate.

     The legislature further finds that campaign contributions used by candidates for neighborhood boards to finance the printing and mailing of campaign materials should be disclosed.

     The purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Repeal the exclusion of county neighborhoods boards from the election campaign contributions and expenditures law; and

     (2)  Require an organizational report to be filed with the campaign spending commission by any neighborhood board candidate who receives contributions or makes expenditures of more than a specified statutory amount for the printing and mailing of campaign material.

     SECTION 2.  Section 11-191, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "office" to read as follows:

     ""Office" means any elective public or constitutional office excluding [county neighborhood board and] federal elective offices."

     SECTION 3.  Section 11-194, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  Each candidate shall file an organizational report within ten days of:

     (1)  Filing the nomination papers for office; or

     (2)  The date the candidate or candidate's committee receives contributions or makes expenditures that amount to more than $100 in the aggregate during the applicable election period, whichever occurs first[.], or in the case of a candidate for a neighborhood board, the date the candidate or candidate's committee receives contributions or makes expenditures that amount to more than $1,000, for printing, mailings, and related expenditure for printing and mailings in the aggregate during the applicable election period, whichever occurs first."

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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