Kokua Line: Candidate can give money from campaign to charity

Question: Can politicians use campaign funds to donate to charity, or do they have to use their own personal funds? I am wondering mainly about school fundraisers in their districts.

Answer: They can use campaign funds, within limits, and the school fundraiser or other nonprofit venture doesn’t have to be in their district.

The rules are spelled out in Hawaii’s campaign finance law, found in Chapter 11, Part XIII of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. The relevant section is 11-381, which you can read at 808ne.ws/hrs381.

For a fuller understanding, access the law from the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission’s website. Go to ags.hawaii.gov/campaign, click on “Legal Resources” and choose “Hawaii Revised Statutes” from the pulldown menu.

We recommend this route to the information because the commission’s website provides many other tools that make it easier for candidates, donors and the general public to understand Hawaii’s campaign finance law.

As for politicians diverting campaign donations to charity, the rules vary slightly depending on whether the recipient is a community group, a public school or a public library.

Per 11-381(a)(3), a candidate may use campaign funds “to make donations to any community service, educational, youth, recreational, charitable, scientific, or literary organization,” up to twice the amount any one person may contribute to the campaign per election cycle. The candidate cannot be actively running for office when they make the donation; this prohibition applies from the date they file nomination papers to the date of the general election.

For a two-year office, the maximum any person can contribute to a campaign is $2,000, so the most a candidate could divert to a charity or nonprofit group would be $4,000. For a four-year nonstatewide office, the limits are $4,000 and $8,000, respectively. For a four-year statewide office, they are $6,000 and $12,000, respectively.

The allowable charitable donation is the grand total a candidate may donate using campaign funds, said Gary Kam, the commission’s general counsel. For example, a candidate limited to $4,000 could give 40 nonprofits $100 each.

Per 11-381(a)(4), a candidate may donate to any public school or public library up to twice the contribution limit in an election period (the same limits as previously described), but there is no prohibited period. Any donation made under this paragraph does not count toward the total under paragraph 3.

So, for example, a person raising money to run for governor could use campaign funds to donate a total of $12,000 to community groups under paragraph 3 and $12,000 to a public school or library under paragraph 4.

Hawaii’s campaign finance law applies to state and county races.

Q: Can I bring Fireball on the plane?

A: Yes, if by Fireball you mean the cinnamon-flavored whiskey. It’s 33 percent alcohol by volume (66 U.S. proof), according to the manufacturer, well below the 70 percent/140 proof limit set by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

You can carry on a minibottle of less than 3.4 ounces, as long as it fits comfortably in a single quart-size bag. In your checked bags you can carry up to 1.3 gallons (5 liters) in unopened retail packaging, according to the TSA. Pack it carefully so that the bottles don’t break.

There’s no limit in checked luggage on beverages with 24 percent alcohol or less, while alcohol above 70 percent/140 proof isn’t allowed. Fireball falls in the middle, allowed with limits.

Be forewarned that these are general rules; the decision ultimately rests with the TSA agent staffing the security checkpoint through which you pass.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.