STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2472

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2148

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2148 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VIOLATIONS OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAW,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Increase the amount of the fine that may be assessed against a noncandidate committee making only independent expenditures that has received at least one contribution of more than $10,000, or spent more than $10,000 in an election period, for campaign spending law violations; and

 

     (2)  Allow the Campaign Spending Commission to order that payment of a fine assessed against a noncandidate committee, or any portion thereof, be paid from the personal funds of an officer of the noncandidate committee.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission and Common Cause Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that campaign spending laws are often extremely difficult to enforce against large political action committees.  Your Committee further finds that the structure and considerable financial resources of these organizations insulates them from effective enforcement in many situations.  This measure increases the ability of the Campaign Spending Commission to assess effective penalties against large political action committees for violations of campaign spending laws.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2148 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

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KARL RHOADS, Chair