Message from Campaign Spending Commission October 16, 2014

This is a very important message to all registered corporations with the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission (“Commission”). On November 5, 2014, the day after the general election, the Corporate Reporting System will be repealed pursuant to section 11 of Act 112, 2013 Hawaii Session Laws. As such, any corporation that receives contributions or makes expenditures that exceeds $1,000 in the aggregate on or after November 5th, must register with the Commission as a noncandidate committee within ten (10) days of exceeding the threshold limit. Registering and reporting as a noncandidate committee will mean that a corporation will have to report all contributions (among other things) made to all candidates, not just those that aggregate more than $1,000 to a single candidate, as was the case in the Corporate Reporting System.

Any corporation currently registered with the Commission will have to re-register with the Commission as a noncandidate committee in the Noncandidate Committee Filing System (“NCFS”). The corporation’s registration in the Corporate Reporting System will not automatically transfer to the NCFS. A corporation will have to file the Electronic Filing Form to obtain a new username and password for the NCFS before they can electronically file the Organizational Report to register as a noncandidate committee. A chairperson and treasurer will have to be appointed when setting up the committee. The reporting schedule for the filing of noncandidate committee disclosure reports is identical to the corporation schedule, but unlike the corporate reporting system, you will be required to file disclosure reports even when there is no activity during a particular reporting period which was not the case as a corporate filer. The 2014-2016 election period reporting schedule for noncandidate committees will be posted on the Commission’s website in November so please check back. We strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the system by reviewing the Noncandidate Committee Filing System Manual and Noncandidate Committee Guidebook.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us at (808) 586-0285 or come by our office located at 235 S. Beretania Street, Suite 300, Honolulu, HI 96813. Thank you for your kokua!

Mahalo,

Kristin E. Izumi-Nitao

Executive Director

Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission

(This message with links to some of the items mentioned can also be viewed on the Commission's website at http://ags.hawaii.gov/campaign/main/notice-to-corporations)