STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1271

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 40

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 40 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING A $250 CAP ON CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND ON ESTABLISHING A PROCESS FOR THE REFUNDING OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Request the Campaign Spending Commission to study other jurisdictions with regard to placing a cap of $250 on campaign contributions per contributor per election and a process for refunding campaign contributions; and

     (2)  Request that the Campaign Spending Commission report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2016.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from four individuals.

     Your Committee finds that members of the public have expressed concern over large contributions being made to political campaigns in Hawaii by individuals and organizations.  There can be an appearance of unfairness when an individual or organization contributes a substantial sum of money to a political campaign that most other individuals and organizations are unable to contribute.  This measure helps to create a level playing field for elections in the State.

     Your Committee further finds that members of the public have also expressed dissatisfaction over situations in which they made a political contribution based on assurances made by a candidate, and subsequently that candidate took an opposing position.  This measure helps to establish a process for refunding campaign contributions in those situations.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 40, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 40, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair