STAND. COM. REP. NO. 53

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 167

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. 167 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish an investigator position in the Campaign Spending Commission; and

(2) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Campaign Spending Commission, the state agency for enforcement of the State's campaign finance laws, does not have a designated investigator position. The existing five staff members perform investigative duties, as needed. Recently, staff members have been subpoenaed to testify in contested case hearings and in a criminal proceeding regarding their roles in the investigation of those cases. This can be problematic, especially for the general counsel, who is responsible for presenting the case to the Campaign Spending Commission where the executive director is the complainant. This measure will increase the Campaign Spending Commission's staff by one investigator position, which will resolve any potential conflict.

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. 167 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