72
THE SENATE                           S.R. NO.              
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  RESOLUTION
  REQUESTING THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH CLEAR
    CAMPAIGN SPENDING GUIDELINES.


 1        WHEREAS, the public confidence and trust in the voting
 2   process and the equality of each person's vote are the
 3   cornerstones of our democratic system; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, integral to the electoral process is the method
 6   by which election campaigns are financed; and
 7   
 8        WHEREAS, each election year, millions of dollars are
 9   raised and spent to support various candidates' bids for
10   elective offices; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, serious questions and concerns have recently been
13   raised with regard to the integrity of elected officials and
14   the campaign financing process due to certain candidates' and
15   elected officials' alleged misappropriation of campaign funds;
16   and
17   
18        WHEREAS, the Campaign Spending Commission is the state
19   agency charged with the responsibility of monitoring and
20   enforcing the State's campaign spending laws; and
21   
22        WHEREAS, in investigating reports of campaign spending
23   violations and enforcing the laws under its jurisdiction, the
24   Campaign Spending Commission must utilize guidelines that are
25   clear and unambiguous in order to ensure that the State's
26   campaign spending laws are consistently and uniformly enforced;
27   and
28   
29        WHEREAS, recent reports of alleged campaign spending law
30   violations have also been accompanied by a litany of seemingly
31   inconsistent interpretations and actions by the Campaign
32   Spending Commission, ranging from felony prosecution to
33   multiple extensions on campaign financial reports, to no
34   investigation at all; and
35   
36        WHEREAS, in order for the electorate to believe in the
37   electoral process and to ensure candidates for elective office
38   comply with the State's campaign spending laws, the Campaign

 
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                                  S.R. NO.              
                                                        
                                                        


 1   Spending Commission should adopt a consistent approach to
 2   enforcing the laws under its jurisdiction; now, therefore,
 3   
 4        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
 5   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, that the
 6   Campaign Spending Commission is requested to establish campaign
 7   spending violation guidelines that clearly delineate between
 8   legal and illegal campaign spending practices: and
 9   
10        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Campaign Spending
11   Commission is requested to submit a report of findings and
12   recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty day
13   prior to the convening of the 2001 Regular Session; and
14   
15        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
16   Resolution be transmitted to the Campaign Spending Commission,
17   the Hawaii Association of Clerks and Election Officers of
18   Hawaii, the Election Advisory Committee, the Chairperson of the
19   Democratic Party of Hawaii, the Chairperson of the Green Party
20   of Hawaii, the Chairperson of the Libertarian Party of Hawaii,
21   the Chairperson of the Republican Party of Hawaii, the League
22   of Women Voters, and Common Cause Hawaii.
23 
24 
25 
26                           OFFERED BY:  __________________________