Report Title:

Ethics Disclosure; Election Year Filings

Description:

Eliminates duplicative ethics disclosure filing requirements during election years by providing that incumbents running for re-election or election to another state office, who have filed a required disclosure by May 31 of the year of the election, need not file another disclosure for that same year.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

299

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO STANDARDS OF CONDUCT.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that existing law in section 84-17(b), Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), requires candidates for election to state elective offices to file ethics disclosures three times within a year: (1) twenty days prior to the date of the primary election; (2) if elected, within thirty days of one's election; and (3) annually between January 1 and May 31 of each year, if elected. According to the state ethics commission, the filing before the primary election is a "candidates form", and the filing after the election is a "long form". The long form is the same form required to be filed every even-numbered year by all statutorily specified persons, who file a short form, known as an "amended form", every odd-numbered year.

The legislature finds that requiring incumbent officials in state elective offices who are seeking reelection or another state elective office to file an ethics disclosure form three times in a calendar year is excessive and wasteful of time and money.

The purpose of this Act is to allow incumbent elected officials who are reelected to office or elected to another state office to file a full disclosure form once annually as all other state officials and appointees.

SECTION 2. Section 84-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) The disclosure of financial interest required by this section shall be filed between January 1 and May 31 of each year, or within thirty days of one's election or appointment to a state position enumerated in subsection (c); provided that candidates for state elective offices or the constitutional convention shall file the required statements no later than twenty days prior to the date of the primary election for state offices or the election of delegates to the constitutional convention[.]; and provided further that an incumbent state elected official who is seeking reelection or who is seeking election to another state elective office, and who has filed a disclosure by May 31 in the year of the election, shall not be required to file another disclosure during that calendar year."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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