STAND. COM. REP. NO. 815

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 412

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 412 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LOBBYING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enhance government transparency by:

(1) Establishing certain presumptions regarding lobbying on behalf of private clients;

(2) Making certain contracts voidable when entered into in violation of the state lobbying law; and

(3) Expanding the definition of "lobbying" in section 97‑1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to include certain communications with high-level government officials regarding procurement decisions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Ethics Commission. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Procurement Office and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the State's definition of "lobbying" is limited and could be expanded to capture certain activities that are not currently covered. This measure addresses this need and updates regulations on lobbying by establishing certain presumptions regarding lobbying on behalf of clients, making contracts voidable when entered into in violation of lobbying law, and expanding the definition of "lobbying" to include communications with government officials regarding procurement decisions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 412, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 412, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair