STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3025

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2144

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2144 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REPORTS OF CANDIDATE COMMITTEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require that committee reimbursements to individuals other than the candidate be itemized in candidates' committee reports submitted to the Campaign Spending Commission.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission, Common Cause Hawaii, and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that under existing law, only reimbursements to the candidate are required to be itemized in candidate expenditure reports. Often, individuals other than the candidate are reimbursed for campaign costs. Your Committee finds that requiring itemization of committee reimbursements to other individuals, in addition to those made to the candidate, will allow a reasonable person to determine the ultimate intended recipient of the expenditure and its purpose, thereby increasing transparency in campaign spending.

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 S.B. No. 2144 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair