STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1144

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 370

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 370, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PARTIAL PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the maximum amount of funds available to candidates who qualify to participate in the partial public financing program;

(2) Adjust the minimum amount of qualifying contributions certain candidates must receive to participate in the partial public financing program;

(3) Increase the matching fund payments to candidates in the partial public financing program for excess qualifying contributions; and

(4) Appropriate funds to increase the amount of funds available in the partial public financing program and for the Campaign Spending Commission to hire more staff to address the anticipated increase in participation in the financing program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the League of Women Voters of Hawaii; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus; Kauai Women's Caucus; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Campaign Spending Commission.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the maximum amount of funds available to candidates who qualify to participate in the partial public financing program to unspecified percentages of the expenditure limit.

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 H.B. No. 370, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 370, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair