STAND. COM. REP. NO. 45

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 400

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 400 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that increased fines may apply if a candidate committee or noncandidate committee fails to timely file the preliminary primary or preliminary general report due ten days before the primary or general election.

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

Your Committee finds that the Campaign Spending Commission requires candidate and noncandidate committees to file a series of reports prior to an election. Your Committee further finds that the language establishing these reporting requirements is periodically in need of clarifying updates as the requirements are refined and amended. This measure clarifies that increased fines may apply if a committee fails to timely file certain reports.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 400, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 400, S.D. 1, 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