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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2184 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that campaign finance integrity is essential to the preservation of the public trust. Yet, existing state law allows individuals who are convicted of certain public corruption offenses to maintain control of the funds in their campaign spending accounts and make political contributions during election cycles.
The purpose of this Act is to strengthen
campaign finance integrity by:
(2) Requires campaign contributions held by persons convicted of campaign finance, ethical, or lobbying offenses to be returned to their respective contributors and, if not returned, escheated to the Hawaii election campaign fund.
SECTION 2. Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part XIII to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§11- Contributions by persons convicted or
found in violation of certain offenses prohibited. (a) No person who has been convicted of a criminal
offense under section 11-412, or found in violation of chapter 84 or 97, or convicted
or found in violation of a federal or county offense regarding the regulation
of campaign finance, ethics, or lobbying activities shall:
(1) Directly or
indirectly make any contribution, or promise expressly or impliedly to make any
contribution, to any candidate, candidate committee, noncandidate committee, or
person for any political purpose or use; or
(2) Knowingly
solicit any contribution from any person for any purpose during any period.
(b) Funds that were received by a candidate,
candidate committee, or noncandidate committee from a person in violation of
subsection (a) shall escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund.
(c) All contributions remaining in a campaign
account within a depository institution on the date that the person is convicted
or found in violation of an offense described in subsection (a) shall be
returned to their respective contributors no later than thirty days from the
date of conviction or date found in violation.
Any contributions not returned to their respective contributors within the
thirty days shall escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund."
SECTION 3. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.
Report Title:
Campaign Finance; Prohibitions; Hawaii Election Campaign Fund; Escheat; Return of Contributions
Description:
Prohibits contributions from persons convicted or found in violation of various campaign finance, ethical, or lobbying offenses. Requires unlawful contributions to escheat to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund. Requires contributions held by persons who were convicted or found in violation of any of the various campaign finance, ethical, or lobbying offenses to be returned to their respective contributors and, if not returned, to escheat to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.