STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2150

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 1543

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1543, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCING FOR CANDIDATES TO ELECTED OFFICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a comprehensive system of public financing for all candidates seeking election to state and county public offices in the State, to begin with the 2026 general election year;

(2) Require the Campaign Spending Commission to submit a progress report and final report to the Legislature; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct, one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, Hope Services Hawai‘i, Common Cause Hawaii, Holomua Collaborative, Our Revolution Hawaii, HULI PAC, 350Hawaii.org, Kanalani Ohana Farm, Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action, Our Hawaii, Pono Hawaii Initiative, Indivisible Hawaii, Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Kūpuna for the Mo‘opuna, Hawai‘i Workers Center, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Maui Peace Action, Kauai Women's Caucus, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission, Chamber of Sustainable Commerce, and six individuals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the minimum amount of funds that must be in the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund to provide funding for the Comprehensive Public Funding Program to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the number of temporary positions funded by this measure to an unspecified number;

(3) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1543, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1543, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair