HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	597
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.

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

     SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to address campaign finance reform.

     More specifically, this Act requires "super PACs" (political action committees), meaning those noncandidate committees that may raise and spend unlimited funds to influence elections independently of candidate campaigns and political parties, to file two additional campaign reports.  The additional reports will ensure the disclosure of late contributions of any amount that a "super PAC" receives as late as four days prior to an election.  The legislature finds that this Act promotes transparency in the campaign process by allowing voters to better determine the candidates who are supported or opposed by "super PACs", many of which are funded by special interests.

     SECTION 2.  Section 11-335, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

     "(d)  The authorized person in the case of a party, or treasurer in the case of a noncandidate committee that is not a party[,] and is subject to the contribution limit of section 11-358, shall file a late contribution report as provided in section 11-338 if the party or committee receives late contributions from any person aggregating more than $500 or makes late contributions aggregating more than $500."

     SECTION 3.  Section 11-336, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The filing dates for preliminary reports are:

     (1)  [Ten] For a noncandidate committee subject to the contribution limit of section 11-358:

(A) Ten calendar days prior to a primary, special, or nonpartisan election; and

    [(2)] (B)  Ten calendar days prior to a general election[.]; and

(2) For a noncandidate committee that is not subject to the contribution limit of section 11-358:

(A) Ten calendar days prior to a primary, special, or nonpartisan election;

(B) Three calendar days prior to a primary, special, or nonpartisan election;

(C) Ten calendar days prior to a general election; and

(D) Three calendar days prior to a general election.

     Each preliminary report from a noncandidate committee subject to the contribution limit of section 11-358 shall be current through the fifth calendar day prior to the filing of the report.

Each preliminary report from a noncandidate committee that is not subject to the contribution limit of section 11-358 shall be current through the day prior to the filing of the report."

     SECTION 4.  Section 11-338, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§11-338[]]  Late contributions; report.  (a)  The candidate, authorized person in the case of a noncandidate committee that is a party, or treasurer in the case of a candidate committee or [other] a noncandidate committee[,] that is not a party and is subject to the contribution limit of section 11-358, that, within the period of fourteen calendar days through four calendar days prior to any election, makes contributions aggregating more than $500, or receives contributions from any person aggregating more than $500, shall file a late contribution report by means of the commission's electronic filing system on or before the third calendar day prior to the election.

     (b)  The late contribution report shall include the following information:

     (1)  Name, address, occupation, and employer of the contributor;

     (2)  Name of the candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee making or receiving the contribution;

     (3)  The amount of the contribution;

     (4)  The contributor's aggregate contributions to the candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee; and

     (5)  The purpose, if any, to which the contribution will be applied.

     (c)  A late contribution report filed pursuant to this section shall be in addition to any other report required to be filed by this part.

(d)  This section shall not apply to a noncandidate committee that is not subject to the contribution limit of section 11-358."

     SECTION 5.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2013.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Elections; Campaign Finance; Noncandidate Committees; "Super PAC" Preliminary Reports

Description:

Requires "super PACs" to file 2 additional preliminary campaign finance reports to ensure the disclosure of late contributions of any amount that the "super PAC" receives prior to an election.

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