Report Title:

Campaign Activities; Prohibitions

Description:

Prohibits candidates and their campaign committees from using state or county produced materials for campaign purposes.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

297

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

Relating to campaign activities.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that some candidates for elective office use state or county produced publications as campaign literature by affixing to the material a sticker containing the candidate's name, or by placing the material in a bag containing the candidate's name. The legislature finds that this practice often creates the misleading appearance that the publications were produced specifically by the candidate or for the candidate's campaign. The legislature finds that while the fair treatment provision of the state ethics code has been interpreted to prohibit legislators and state employees from using any state resources in political campaigns, there are no comparable restrictions in place for non-incumbent candidates for elective office in the State. The legislature finds that the integrity of the political process requires that all candidates for elective office be prohibited from using or passing off state or county produced publications as their own.

The purpose of this Act is to prohibit all candidates for elective office from using state or county produced materials for campaign purposes.

SECTION 2. Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part XII, subpart B, to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§11- Campaign activities; prohibitions. No candidate or candidate's committee shall use or distribute, or authorize the use or distribution, of any publication produced in whole or in part with state or county funds as campaign literature, material, or advertisement."

SECTION 3. Chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part II to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§84- Campaign activities; prohibitions. No candidate for state elective office shall use or distribute, or authorize the use or distribution, of any publication produced in whole or in part with state or county funds as campaign literature, material, or advertisement."

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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