§11-384 Disposition of campaign funds; termination of registration. (a) The candidate committee and candidate who receives contributions for an election but fails to file nomination papers for that election shall return residual funds to the contributors no later than ninety days after the date on which nominations for that election shall be filed. Funds not returned to contributors shall escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund.

(b) The candidate committee and candidate who withdraws or ceases to be a candidate for the election because of death, disqualification, or other reasons shall return residual funds to the contributors no later than ninety days after the candidate ceases to be a candidate. Funds not returned to contributors shall escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund.

(c) A candidate who is elected to office, including a candidate subject to term limits and a candidate who resigned before the end of the term of office and the candidate committee of such a candidate, may use campaign funds as provided in section 11-381 or return funds to contributors until four years from the date of the election for which the campaign funds were received. Funds that are not used or returned to contributors shall escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund.

(d) A candidate who loses an election and the candidate committee of such a candidate may use campaign funds as provided in section 11-381 or return funds to contributors until one year from the date of the election for which the campaign funds were received. Funds that are not used or returned to contributors shall escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund.

(e) A candidate committee that disposes of campaign funds pursuant to this section shall terminate its registration with the commission as provided in section 11-326.

(f) Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, campaign funds may be used for the candidate's next subsequent election as provided in section 11-381 upon registration for the election pursuant to section 11-321.

(g) The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to carry out the purposes of this section. [L 2010, c 211, pt of §2]