STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2684

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2118

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2118 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make certain amendments related to campaign spending.

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Requires a candidate who has agreed to limit expenditures to notify the Office of Elections, rather than the Chief Election Officer, if the candidate exceeds the expenditure limit;

     (2)  Repeals a requirement that candidates notify campaign contributors when expenditure limits are exceeded, in relation to certain contributor tax deductions that are no longer available; and

     (3)  Repeals a tax deduction provision related to deductions that are no longer available.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of Elections.  The Campaign Spending Commission submitted written comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that the housekeeping amendments made by the measure will ensure more efficient use of the Chief Election Officer and Office of Elections' staff.  In addition, deleting references to tax deductions that are no longer available to taxpayers is appropriate.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2118 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair