STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3416

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2072

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2072, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require certain solicitations that reference disasters to include a disclosure; and

(2) Deem violators guilty of a class C felony.

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

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Public Defender.

Your Committee finds that natural disasters present an opportunity for persons to fraudulently solicit contributions for disaster relief victims during a state of emergency declared by the Governor. Your Committee believes that deceptive solicitations of contributions connected to disasters should be discouraged. This measure provides the State with a means to prosecute persons, including candidate committees, engaging in charitable fraud and theft in the wake of an emergency.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Making it effective upon its approval; 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 that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2072, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2072, H.D. 1, 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