H.B. 2004 - Campaign Financing Summary

• Creates new ballot issue committee regulations requiring committees to receive contributions and make expenditures only for or against ballot issues, prohibiting use of funds to influence candidate elections.

• Requires ballot issue committees to return surplus funds to contributors or donate to qualifying organizations within 90 days after the election, with undistributed funds reverting to the Hawaii election campaign fund.

• Defines "automated phone call" as outbound recorded messages advocating for or against candidates or ballot issues, and requires that required disclaimer information be stated at the beginning of such calls.

• Expands campaign advertisement disclaimer requirements to include all home pages of websites containing advertisements and requires companies making contributions over $1,000 in a two-year period to do so through a registered noncandidate committee.

• Eliminates the campaign spending commission's authority to adopt a code of fair campaign practices and changes penalty language from mandatory to discretionary ("may" assess fines instead of "shall").