STAND. COM. REP. NO. 594

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 336

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 336 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to exclude from the definitions of "advertisement" and "electioneering communications" clothing or other attire with a candidate's name on it that is not directly associated with that candidate's campaign committee.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission.

     Your Committee finds that existing law excludes sundry items as an advertisement that is subject to campaign advertisement and communication requirements.  The Campaign Spending Commission indicated in its written testimony that the Commission considers clothing to be a sundry item and therefore already exempt from the definition of "advertisement".  Thus, this measure clarifies that clothing containing the name of a candidate is not subject to campaign advertisement or communication requirements.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of January 7, 2059, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 336, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 336, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair