STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1049-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2989

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 2989, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow a candidate seeking election for state- and county-level offices to use campaign funds to pay for the candidate's child care costs, under certain conditions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Pono Hawaii Initiative, Common Cause Hawaii, and five individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission.

Your Committee notes that this measure will help ease the financial burden for candidates with children who run for state and local offices, thereby broadening the field of candidates for voters to choose from and encouraging greater participation in the elections process.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Making the age of the child to qualify for child care costs unspecified;

(2) Deleting the definition of "immediate family member" as "immediate family" is already defined under existing campaign finance law; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2989, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2989, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Homelessness,

____________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair