HB2055 • 2026

RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION.

Budget Labor

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-02-10
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Alcos, Amato, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Gedeon, Muraoka, Pierick voting no (4) and none excused (0).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on whether other employees besides the Executive Director and Associate Director will receive salary increases or if they are required to participate in employee benefit programs.

Campaign Spending Commission Salary Adjustments

This bill adjusts the salaries of the Campaign Spending Commission's Executive Director and Associate Director to match those of similar government officials, and funds these salary increases.

What This Bill Does

Increases the salary of the Campaign Spending Commission's Executive Director to be equal to that of the director of health.
Sets the salary of the Associate Director at up to 87% of the Executive Director’s salary.
Allocates $138,679 from state funds for these salary increases and other cost adjustments.

Who It Names or Affects

The Campaign Spending Commission
Executive Director of the Campaign Spending Commission
Associate Director of the Campaign Spending Commission

Terms To Know

Campaign Spending Commission: A government body responsible for overseeing campaign finance laws and regulations.
Executive Director: The top administrative officer of the Campaign Spending Commission who oversees its operations.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how many employees will receive salary increases.
It is unclear if this adjustment will affect the overall budget of the Campaign Spending Commission beyond fiscal year 2026-2027.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment increases the salaries of the Campaign Spending Commission's executive director, associate director, and employees to match those in similar government roles with compliance and enforcement duties.

Increases the salary of the campaign spending commission's executive director to be the same as the director of health.
Sets the associate director’s salary at no more than eighty-seven percent of the executive director’s salary.
Provides for salary increases and cost adjustments for employees, excluding those covered by collective bargaining agreements.

The amendment specifies a future effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems to be an error or placeholder that needs correction in the actual legislation.
Details on how the salary adjustments will impact the commission's budget and operations are not provided.

Bill History

2026-02-10 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Alcos, Amato, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Gedeon, Muraoka, Pierick voting no (4) and none excused (0).
2026-02-09 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 107-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-03 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Hashem.
2026-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 02-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-28 H
Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 3
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION.
Campaign Spending Commission Package; Salaries; Appropriation ($)
Adjusts the salaries of the Campaign Spending Commission's Executive Director and Associate Director to align with similar government officials who have compliance and enforcement responsibilities. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2055

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2055

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the campaign spending commission
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the integrity
of Hawaii's government and democratic process rests upon the public's
confidence in institutions that provide robust and independent oversight of the
political landscape.
�
Government agencies
such as the campaign spending commission, state ethics commission, auditor's office,
office of the ombudsman, and legislative reference bureau are vital watchdogs,
each charged with independent oversight to ensure that state operations remain
free from impropriety and are conducted with transparency and accountability.

����
The
legislature further finds that while the campaign spending commission is
administratively placed within the executive branch, like its
legislative-branch counterparts it shares the common public purpose of
protecting against corruption, holding officials and state employees
accountable, and maintaining the public's trust.
�
To this end, it is critical that the campaign
spending commission have the necessary resources to effectively fulfill its
mission.
�
However, unlike its
legislative-branch counterparts, the campaign spending commission's compensation
structure is disparate.
�
To recruit and
retain experienced staff of the campaign spending commission, it is in the
public's interest to provide a similar compensation structure that acknowledges
the equally critical responsibilities, functions, independence, and
professional demands to ensure that public trust and the integrity of state
government is safeguarded uniformly and consistently.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to increase the salaries of the campaign spending commission's
staff to align with the compensation levels of similar legislative-branch
agencies having compliance and enforcement duties, thereby securing the highest
standards of public oversight for the people of Hawaii.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Section 11-314, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�
11-314
�
Duties of the commission.
�
The duties of the commission under this part
are to:

����
(1)
�
D
evelop and adopt
forms required by this part;

����
(2)
�
A
dopt and publish
a manual for all candidates, candidate committees, and noncandidate committees,
describing the requirements of this part, including uniform and simple methods
of recordkeeping;

����
(3)
�
P
reserve all
reports required by this part for at least ten years from the date of receipt
by the commission;

����
(4)
�
Permit the inspection, copying, or duplication
of any report required by this part pursuant to rules adopted by the commission
under chapter 91; provided that this paragraph shall not apply to the sale or
use of information under section 11-344;

����
(5)
�
Ascertain whether any person has failed to
file a report required by this part or has filed a substantially defective or
deficient report.
�
The commission shall
notify the person by first class mail that a fine may be assessed for the
failure to file or the filing of a substantially defective or deficient report,
and the defective or deficient report shall be corrected and explained.
�
All fines collected under this section as authorized
by sections 11-340 and 11‑410 shall be deposited in the general fund of
the State;

����
(6)
�
H
old public
hearings;

����
(7)
�
I
nvestigate and
hold hearings for receiving evidence of any violations pursuant to subpart I of
this part;

����
(8)
�
A
dopt rules
pursuant to chapter 91;

����
(9)
�
R
equest the
initiation of prosecution for the violation of this part pursuant to section
11-411;

���
(10)
�
A
dminister and
monitor the distribution of public funds under this part;

���
(11)
�
S
uggest accounting
methods for candidates, candidate committees, or noncandidate committees in
connection with reports and records required by this part;

���
(12)
�
E
mploy or contract
with, without regard to chapters 76, 78, and 89, persons it finds necessary for
the performance of its functions, including a full-time executive director[
,
and to fix their compensation
]; provided that the commission shall have the
authority, at its discretion, to dismiss persons employed by or contracted with
the commission
[
;
].
�
The salary
of the executive director shall be the same as the salary of the director of
health.
�
The executive director shall
appoint an associate director and other officers and employees as may be
necessary to carry out the functions of the commission.
�
The salary of the associate director shall be
not more than eighty-seven per cent of the salary of the executive
director.
�
The executive director shall
fix the compensation of the employees within the amounts appropriated by the
legislature.
�
The executive director,
associate director, and commission's full-time staff shall be entitled to
participate in any employee benefit program or privilege;

���
(13)
�
Conduct
random
audits and field investigations, as necessary; and

���
(14)
�
F
ile for
injunctive relief when indicated."

����
SECTION
3.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $138,679 or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for salary increases and other
cost adjustments authorized by chapter 89C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, for the
executive director, associate director, and employees of the campaign spending
commission excluded from collective bargaining.

����
The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the campaign spending commission for the
purposes of this Act.

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

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SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

By Request

Report Title:

Campaign
Spending Commission Package; Salaries; Appropriation

Description:

Adjusts
the salaries of the Campaign Spending Commission's Executive Director and Associate
Director to align with similar government officials who have compliance and
enforcement responsibilities.
�
Appropriates
funds.

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