STAND. COM. REP. NO.  31-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 1756

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1756 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 transparency of the electoral system by amending the campaign spending law to, among other things:

     (1)  Define the term "matching payment period";

(2)  Make "housekeeping" revisions that neither enlarge nor curtail the duties of the Campaign Spending Commission;

(3)  Amend the filing requirements for candidate committee reports by changing the deadline for the first preliminary report for a primary election, and requiring that the January supplemental report be filed annually;

(4)  Ensure greater clarity and specificity by requiring noncandidate committees to include in their reports:

(A) Contributions made and the amount, date, and the name and address of the candidate committee or noncandidate committee to which the contribution was made; and

(B)  For independent expenditures, the name of the candidate who is supported or opposed by the expenditure, and whether the expenditure supports or opposes the candidate;   

     (5)  Establish the deadline for the filing of the voluntary expenditure limits affidavit; and

     (6)  Specify the voluntary expenditure limits for the office of prosecuting attorney.

The Campaign Spending Commission and the League of Women Voters of Hawaii testified in support of this bill.  Common Cause Hawaii offered comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the provision specifying voluntary expenditure limits for the office of prosecuting attorney;

(2) Changing its effective date to January 7, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1756, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1756, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

GILBERT KEITH-AGARAN, Chair