STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1823

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 401

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 401, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VIOLATIONS OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAW,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the allowable administrative fines for campaign finance violations. Specifically, this measure allows the Campaign Spending Commission to:

(1) Fine any noncandidate committee that makes only independent expenditures and has either received at least one contribution of or spent more than $10,000 in an election period an amount not to exceed:

(A) $5,000 for each occurrence; or

(B) Three times the amount of an unlawful contribution or expenditure; and

(2) Order the fine, or any portion thereof, to be paid from the personal funds of the officers of the noncandidate committee.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Common Cause Hawaii, and ten individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 401, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair