STAND. COM. REP. NO. 271

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 381

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 381 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC FUNDING FOR ELECTIONS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Limit the number of certified candidates that the Campaign Spending Commission certifies to participates in the pilot comprehensive public funding for elections to the Hawaii council program under Act 244, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008 (Act 244); and

 

     (2)  Amend the formula for computing the base amount of public funding for the primary and general elections by using the average amount spent by the winning candidates in the previous two elections for every district, rather than the same district, reduced by ten percent.

 

     The Campaign Spending Commission submitted comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that the pilot comprehensive public funding for elections to the Hawaii council program under Act 244 tests the viability of comprehensive public funding of elections by limiting comprehensive public funding to a single county for three election years.  According to the testimony submitted by the Campaign Spending Commission, in 2010 and 2012, only eight candidates were funded under Act 244 during each election year.  In anticipation that this measure may increase participation in the pilot program, the Commission requested an appropriation to fund the pilot program.

 

     Furthermore, the Commission commented that this measure provides certified candidates with the same amount of public funding no matter which district they run in rather than in the same district of the winning candidate in the previous two elections.  Under this measure, the base amount of public funding for the 2014 elections for certified candidates in all districts will be $13,106.10 for the primary election and $3,237.97 for the general election.

 

     Your Committee believes that the possible fiscal impact of this measure merits further discussion by your Committee on Ways and Means if that Committee chooses to schedule this measure for a hearing.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment 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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 381, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 381, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair