STAND. COM. REP. NO. 688

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1493

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1493 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LOBBYISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit, during legislative sessions and shortly before and after, lobbyist contributions, and promises of contributions, to any elected official or to any candidate or candidate committee who has received contributions or made or incurred expenditures of more than $100 in the applicable election period requiring the filing of an organizational report with the Campaign Spending Commission.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from seven individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that contributions made during legislative sessions, including extended sessions or special sessions, can create the perception that the contribution is, or is intended to, influence decisions being taken on pending legislation. Your Committee further finds that a number of states restrict or prohibit contributions from lobbyists during legislative sessions. Your Committee concludes that restricting lobbyists from donating, or promising to later donate, to an elected official during a legislative session and the five days before and after the session will further the goal of reducing undue influence and its appearance.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of March 22, 2075, to encourage further discussion.

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. 1493, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1493, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair