THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1481
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to elections.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to promote voter awareness by:

     (1)  Authorizing the publishing of a candidate information pamphlet in one or more legislative districts selected by the chief elections officer in consultation with the elections commission to be funded by a percentage of new donations to candidate and noncandidate committees that exceed five times the amount of partial public funding spending limit; and

     (2)  Appropriating moneys to publish candidate information pamphlets.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

     1.  By adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read:

     "§11-A  Voter education pamphlets.  (a)  The chief election officer shall prepare, publish, and distribute voter education pamphlets in one or more state legislative districts.

     (b)  The chief election officer shall select the district or districts in which voter education pamphlets are distributed in consultation with the elections commission based on the level of candidate competitiveness, public interest, and availability of funds.

     (c)  Voter education pamphlets shall be distributed through the mail to all registered voters in the selected district or districts; provided that a voter education pamphlet may be distributed electronically to a registered voter who opts for receipt electronically."

     2.  By adding a new section to part XIII to be appropriately designated and to read:

     "§11-B  Voter education surcharge.  (a)  There shall be a surcharge of       per cent on all donations in excess of $500 to candidate or noncandidate committees with balances that exceed five times the partial public funding spending limit.

     (b)  Moneys from the surcharge shall be deposited into the Hawaii election campaign fund for the purpose of preparing, publishing, and distributing voter education pamphlets pursuant to section 11-A."

     SECTION 3.  Section 11-421, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (b) and (c) to read as follows:

     "(b)  The fund shall consist of:

     (1)  All moneys collected from persons who have designated a portion of their income tax liability to the fund as provided in section 235-102.5(a);

     (2)  Any general fund appropriations; [and]

     (3)  All moneys collected through the voter education surcharge as provided in section 11-B; and

    [(3)] (4)  Other moneys collected pursuant to this part.

     (c)  Moneys in the fund shall be paid to candidates by the comptroller as prescribed in section 11-431 and may be used for [the]:

     (1)  The commission's operating expenses, including staff salaries and fringe benefits[.]; and

     (2)  Preparing, publishing, and distributing voter education pamphlets as provided in section 11-A."

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the Hawaii election campaign fund the sum of $25,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the preparation, publishing, and delivery of voter education pamphlets in one or more state legislative districts; provided that the chief election officer shall select the district or districts in which voter education pamphlets are distributed in consultation with the elections commission based on the level of candidate competitiveness, public interest, and availability of funds; provided further that voter education pamphlets shall be distributed to all registered voters in the selected district or districts as provided in section 2 of this Act.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the chief election officer for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  In codifying the new sections added by section 2 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.

     SECTION 6.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019; provided that sections 2 and 3 shall take effect on January 1, 2020.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Elections; Voter Education Pamphlets; Donations; Surcharge; Chief Election Officer; Appropriation

 

Description:

Authorizes the publishing of a candidate information pamphlet in one or more legislative districts selected by the chief elections officer in consultation with the elections commission to be funded by a percentage of new donations to candidate and noncandidate committees that exceed five times the amount of partial public funding spending limit.  Makes an appropriation to publish candidate information pamphlets.

 

 

 

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