STAND. COM. REP. NO. 406-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2015

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2015 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPARENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide greater transparency when a newspaper chooses to endorse a candidate by requiring the newspaper to disclose the aggregate amount spent on advertisements by a candidate and candidate's committee.

The Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu testified in support of this measure. The Campaign Spending Commission provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the newspaper shall disclose the aggregate amount spent on advertisements with that newspaper;

(2) Requiring disclosure only if the aggregate amount spent on advertisements with the newspaper exceeds $100,000; and

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion.

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. 2015, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2015, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, Chair