Groups affiliated with Pacific Resource Partnership, an advocacy group for union carpenters and contractors, were fined $3,100 by the state Campaign Spending Commission on Wednesday for failing to report expenses and other information.

The commission voted 4-0 to levy penalties on the Hawaii Carpenters Market Recovery Program Fund, Forward Progress and PRP executive director John White.

Commission attorney Gary Kam told Civil Beat Thursday that the fine were based on three separate counts.

The first count was for failure to report a $5,000 contribution from the Market Recovery Program to Good Beginnings Alliance, and failure to register with the commission. Good Beginnings unsuccessfully backed a ballot measure in the November election that would have allowed the use of public money for private preschool programs.

The second count came from a complaint made by a Maui resident regarding canvassing by Forward Progress in the Maui County Council race. The political action committee failed to tell the commission what candidate they supported or opposed, as is required under a recently enacted law.

PRP canvassers in Honolulu in 2012.

Nick Grube/Civil Beat

The third count came from the Big Island and focused on paying for mailers in opposition to a Hawaii County Council candidate that were not reported.

Kam said the records have since be amended. Separately, two complaints against PRP involving the 2012 race for Honolulu mayor are pending with the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney.

Read Civil Beat’s related coverage:

Super PACs Wade Into Local Races, and Voters Are Left in the Dark

Cashing In: Local Super PACS and Other Special Interests Spend Big

Hidden Super PAC Money Comes to Light in Campaign Spending Reports

Hawaii Monitor: We Need More Timely Disclosure of Money in Elections

PRP’s Campaign Spending Violations Sent to City Prosecutors