HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2928
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to elections.

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

     SECTION 1.  Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§11-   Corporations; noncandidate committees; establishment. Before accepting a contribution or making an expenditure in any amount, a corporation shall establish a noncandidate committee for these purposes.  The noncandidate committee shall file organizational reports pursuant to section 11-196.5."

     SECTION 2.  Section 11-194, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§11-194  Registration.  (a)  Each candidate or noncandidate committee shall register with the commission by filing an organizational report as set forth in section 11-196 or 11-196.5 as applicable.

     (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.

     (c)  An elected official who is seeking reelection to the same office in successive elections shall not be required to file an organizational report under this section unless the candidate is required to report a change in information pursuant to section 11-196(b); provided that the candidate has not sought election to any other office during the period between elections.

     (d)  [A] Except as provided in subsection (e), a noncandidate committee shall file an organizational report within ten days of receiving contributions or making expenditures that amount to more than $1,000, in the aggregate, in a two-year election period; [except] provided that within the [thirty day] thirty-day period prior to an election, a noncandidate committee shall file an organizational report within two days of receiving contributions or making expenditures that amount to more than $1,000, in the aggregate, in a two-year election period.

(e)  A noncandidate committee established by a corporation under section 11-    shall file an organizational report within ten days of accepting a contribution or making an expenditure in any amount; provided that within the thirty-day period prior to an election, a noncandidate committee established under section 11-    shall file an organizational report within two days of accepting a contribution or making an expenditure in any amount in a two-year election period."

     SECTION 3.  Section 11-204, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  No person or any other entity shall make contributions to a noncandidate committee, in an aggregate amount greater than $1,000 in an election[.]; provided that no corporation shall make contributions to its own noncandidate committee established under section 11-     in an aggregate amount greater than $1,000 in a two-year election period."

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

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2011.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Elections; Campaign spending

Description:

Prohibits a corporation from contributing more than $1,000 to the corporation's noncandidate committee in any two-year election period.  Requires all corporations that accept contributions or make expenditures for a campaign to form a noncandidate committee.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.