THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	748
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to public office.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that candidates for public office are generally prohibited from appearing in any public service announcement or government-funded advertisement under section 11-10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which is intended to address any unfair advantage in election campaigns for candidates who enjoy a public presence due to their official capacities.  However, the prohibition does not apply to the appearance of candidates in neighborhood board meetings, which are regularly broadcast on local television programming.  There have been reports of neighborhood board members in meetings broadcast on television referencing their election candidacies or otherwise making comments that provide an unfair advantage over election opponents who do not have similar exposure to the public.

     The purpose of this Act is to promote fairness in elections by deeming a neighborhood board member to have resigned from the board upon becoming a candidate for any state or county elective office.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§11-     Neighborhood board members deemed to have resigned from office upon candidacy for elective state or county office.  Any member of a county neighborhood board who becomes a candidate for any elective state or county office shall be deemed to have resigned from the member's seat on the board."

     SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Neighborhood Boards; State or County Elective Office; Resign-to-run

 

Description:

Deems a neighborhood board member to have resigned from the board upon becoming a candidate for any state or county elective office.

 

 

 

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