HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
2430
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to campaign finance.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 11-365, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§11-365 Contributions and expenditures by lobbyists prohibited during legislative session. (a) During any regular session or special session of the legislature, including any extension of any regular session or special session and any legislative recess days, holidays, and weekends, and for five calendar days before and after a session, no lobbyist shall make, or promise to make at a later time, any contributions or expenditures to or on behalf of an elected official, candidate, candidate committee, or any other individual required to file an organizational report pursuant to section 11-321. No elected official, candidate, candidate committee, or other individual required to file an organizational report pursuant to section 11-321 shall accept, or agree to accept at a later time, any contribution from a lobbyist during the specified period under this subsection. Any contribution prohibited by this subsection shall escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund. An elected official, candidate, candidate committee, or any other individual required to file an organizational report pursuant to section 11-321, alleged to have received a prohibited contribution in violation of this section, shall be administratively referred by the state ethics commission executive director to the campaign spending commission.
[Underlined: (b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to county elected officials, county candidates, and county candidate committees.]
[[Struck through: (b)]] [Underlined: (c)] For the purposes of this section:
"Elected official" has the same meaning as in section 11‑342.
"Lobbyist" means any person actively registered as a lobbyist with [[Struck through: a]] [Underlined: the] state [[Struck through: or county]] ethics [[Struck through: board or]] commission.
"Session" means a period in which both legislative houses are in session."
SECTION 2. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
Campaign Finance; Contributions and Expenditures by Lobbyists During Legislative Sessions; County Candidates; Exemption
Description:
Exempts county elected officials, county candidates, and county candidate committees from the prohibition on receiving contributions from a lobbyist during a state legislative session.
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