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Committee moves to boost partial public campaign financing, inserts funding and revised limits
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to pass HB 370 with amendments that set updated voluntary expenditure multipliers, a uniform public‑funding cap of 67% for qualifying offices, and a $16 million appropriation to enhance the partial public financing program and staffing.
The Senate Committee on Judiciary voted to pass House Bill 370 with committee amendments aimed at expanding Hawaii’s partial public campaign financing program.
Kristen Nizumi Tao, executive director of the Campaign Spending Commission, testified in support of the original bill and recommended specific percentage and staffing language that the committee largely incorporated. The commission asked to set public-funding percentages and requested two additional full‑time positions and funding to implement the program enhancements.
Committee amendments revised HRS 11‑4‑23(d) expenditure multipliers and set a uniform maximum public-funding level of 67% for qualifying offices. The committee report also inserted an appropriation figure of $16,000,000 to bolster the trust fund and to support program changes, and preserved language adjusting qualifying contribution thresholds for certain offices.
Supporters, including civic groups and reform advocates, urged the committee to update amounts that have not been adjusted since 1995. The committee’s recommendation to pass HB 370 HD2 with amendments was adopted.
