House Committee on Judiciary (JUD) - chair: Karamatsu, vice chair: Ito

Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 2:30 P.M. Conference Room 325

Testifier: Jean Aoki, LWV of Hawaii

Click here to view HB2003

Chair Karamatsu, Vice Chair Ito, members of the Judiciary Committee, The League of Women Voters of Hawaii sees a great improvement in HB 2003, and with a few amendments, we would support its passage. It has cleaned up language to make certain policies clearer, and reorganized the laws so that they make more sense. It should remain what it is, a reorganization of the campaign spending laws, and not be a vehicle for wholesale amending of those laws. Our biggest concern is the change in the enforcement section of this bill. The current law states that failure to file reports on time or the filing of substantially deficient or defective reports shall be subject to fines. The language in this bill has been changed so that the commission “may assess a fine.........'' and that, “if assessed, shall not exceed $50 a day...........” etc. Doesn't the change in the language from shall to may constitute a substantial change in policy, which this bill did not set out to make? We do applaud the reinstatement of the “Declaration of Policy”. Thank you for this opportunity to testify on HB 2003.