STAND. COM. REP. NO. 30

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 467

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. 467 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE II OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to propose an amendment to the Hawaii State Constitution to allow the Legislature to enact laws establishing limitations on moneys expended by any independent expenditure committee to influence the outcome of a state election.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Americans for Democratic Action Hawai‘i and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission.

Your Committee finds that large political action committees can spend large amounts of money to effect the outcome of a state election.  Your Committee further finds that due to the structure and considerable financial resources of these organizations, their spending on state elections should be limited. This measure will curb the spending of noncandidate committees that do not have contribution and expenditure limits.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that this measure proposes an amendment to the Hawaii State Constitution to allow the State to limit moneys expended by any noncandidate committee making only independent expenditures to influence the outcome of a state election;

(2) Specifying that the question on the ballot be "Shall the Hawaii State Constitution be amended to allow the Legislature to enact laws establishing limitations on moneys expended by any noncandidate committee making only independent expenditures to influence the outcome of a state election?"; and

(3) 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 that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 467, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 467, S.D. 1, 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