STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1418-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.C.R. No. 29

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 29 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING HAWAII'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO PROPOSE AND PASS A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION CLARIFYING THAT CORPORATIONS ARE NOT PEOPLE WITH CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, AND THAT UNLIMITED CAMPAIGN SPENDING IS NOT FREE SPEECH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge Hawaii's Congressional Delegation to propose and support the passage of an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify that corporations are not people with constitutional rights and to specify that unlimited campaign spending does not constitute free speech.

The Hawaii State Association of Counties, Council Member of the Hawaii County Council, Community Alliance on Prisons, Common Cause Hawaii, Move to Amend Kona Affiliate, and many concerned citizens testified in support of this measure.  The Libertarian Party of Hawaii provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 29 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair