THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1558
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that county neighborhood boards have very competitive elections with more candidates receiving campaign contributions to finance their election. The legislature is concerned about possible undue interest group influence in the neighborhood board elections, in view of the current practice of mailing out newsletters, brochures, or door flyers to promote a candidate.

The legislature further finds that campaign contributions used by candidates for neighborhood boards to finance the printing and mailing of campaign materials should be disclosed.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

(1) Repeal the exclusion of county neighborhoods boards from campaign finance laws; and

(2) Require an organizational report to be filed with the campaign spending commission by any neighborhood board candidate who receives contributions or makes expenditures of more than a specified statutory amount for the printing and mailing of campaign material.

SECTION 2. Section 11-302, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "office" to read as follows:

""Office" means any Hawaii elective public or constitutional office, excluding [county neighborhood board and] federal elective offices."

SECTION 3. Section 11-321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

"(d) The organizational report for a candidate committee shall be filed within ten days of the earlier of:

(1) The date the candidate files nomination papers for office; or

(2) The date the candidate or candidate committee receives contributions or makes or incurs expenditures of more than $100 in the aggregate during the applicable election period[.], or in the case of a candidate for a neighborhood board, the date the candidate or candidate's committee receives contributions or makes expenditures that amount to more than $1,000, for printing, mailings, and related expenditure for printing and mailings in the aggregate during the applicable election period, whichever occurs first."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Neighborhood Boards; Election Campaigns; Contributions

Description:

Applies the campaign finance laws to candidates for the neighborhood boards. Requires candidate committees for neighborhood board elections to file an organizational report with the Campaign Spending Commission regarding campaign contributions used for printing and mailing campaign material.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.