STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1666

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 131

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 131 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING CONGRESS TO CONVENE A LIMITED NATIONAL CONVENTION UNDER ARTICLE V OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION FOR THE EXCLUSIVE PURPOSE OF PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION THAT WILL LIMIT THE INFLUENCE OF MONEY IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the United States Congress to convene a limited national convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for the exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to the Constitution that will limit the influence of money in the electoral process.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Wolf-PAC and one hundred one individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the ILWU Local 142; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; Indivisible Hawaii; Community Alliance on Prisons; LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Hawaii State Teachers Association; American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Life of the Land; Common Cause Hawaii; Americans for Democratic Action; Pride at Work Hawaii; Hoomanapono Political Action Committee; and twenty-four individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

 

     Your Committee finds that the competitive and expensive nature of elections in the United States results in significant sums of campaign contributions from large political action committees and other powerful third-party groups.  Your Committee further finds that the prevalence of money from these groups in elections has given rise to the perception of a disproportionate influence of powerful moneyed interests in American politics.  This measure will request the United States Congress to convene a limited national convention for the purpose of proposing a constitutional amendment to address these concerns.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 131 and recommends its adoption.

 

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

 

 

 

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KARL RHOADS, Chair