Minutes for April 11, 2000

Campaign Spending Commission Meeting
Leiopapa A Kamehameha Building, Room 204
April 11, 2000
3:00 p.m.

Members Present:
A. Duane Black, Della Au, Clifford Muraoka, and Andrea Low

Staff Present:
Robert Watada, Jon Itomura, and Ellen Kojima
Pam Toguchi, Deputy Attorney General

Call to Order:
Meeting convened at 3:00 p.m. with Chairman Black presiding.

Chairman Black called for a motion to amend the agenda to defer the Old Business matter until the May meeting.

Ms Low moved to defer item #3-Old Business until the May meeting, Ms Au seconded. Motion carried.

Consideration of Minutes:
Ms Au moved to accept the minutes of February 22, 2000, Mr. Muraoka seconded. Motion carried.

Ms Low moved to accept the minutes of March 7, 2000, Ms Au seconded. Motion carried.

New Business:
Draft AO 00-06 Advertisements in a Yearbook
The Commission has ruled that only surplus funds can be used for the purpose of community or charity donations. This draft advisory opinion was requested as candidates who are elected officials are asked to donate to a school yearbook or other similar type of publications. Within the yearbook or publication the candidate receives recognition for having helped to underwrite the cost of the publication. This draft advisory opinion recommends that such donations be considered advertising for purposes of influencing the outcome of an election.

Ms Low moved to consider draft AO 00-06 with discussion, Mr. Muraoka seconded. Motion carried.

After some discussion and concerns raised by Commission members, it was decided that the draft be redrafted to address concerns and further discussed at the next meeting.

Communications to Commission:
Legislation Update
To date there are 4 bills still proceeding through the legislative process, including 2 elections bills that were gutted to make campaign spending law amendments. One bill makes housekeeping and substantive changes and the other became a clean elections bill.

Pro-Family Hawaii
Judge Gilmore denied Pro-Family’s request for an injunction against the Commission to not require ballot issue committee contributors be disclosed.

Next Meeting:
Scheduled for Tuesday, May 9, 2000 at 3:00 p.m.

Chairman Black called to recess public session and convene executive session to confer with Deputy Attorney General.

Public session reconvened at 4:30 p.m.
No further business to discuss Chairman Black adjourned meeting.