STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2318

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2417

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2417 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to repeal the cap on the amount of campaign funds candidates may donate to any community service, educational, youth, recreational, charitable, scientific, or literary organization, or public school or library.

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

Your Committee finds that candidates are currently permitted to donate campaign funds to any community service, educational, youth, recreational, charitable, scientific, or literary organization, or public school or library up to twice the maximum amount that one person may contribute to that candidate. Candidates should have the option to spend their campaign funds towards the betterment of the community. This measure allows candidates to donate more of their campaign monies to community organizations and schools.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Increasing the cap on the amount of campaign funds candidates may donate to any community service, educational, youth, recreational, charitable, scientific, or literary organization, or public school or library to $6,000 for a candidate to a two-year office, $12,000 for a candidate to a four-year nonstatewide office, and $18,000 for a candidate to a four-year statewide office; and

(2) 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. 2417, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2417, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair