RELATING TO PARTIAL PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS.

HB370

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

370

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO PARTIAL PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS
.

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

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SECTION 1.
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The amounts
available to candidates in Hawaii�s partial public financing program was last
amended in 1995.
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The legislature finds
that since 1995-1996, the value of the dollar has risen to approximately $2.06.

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The purpose of this Act is to increase the
amount of funds available to candidates qualified to participate in the partial
public financing program.
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This Act
increases the amount of funds available to candidates for the board of trustees
for the office of Hawaiian affairs, who run statewide.
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This Act increases matching fund payments
from $1 for each $1 of qualifying contributions in excess of the minimum
qualifying contribution amounts to $2 for each $1 of excess qualifying
contributions.
�
To encourage participation
in the partial public financing program, this Act provides for the downward
adjustment of the amount of minimum qualifying contributions required for
certain offices.
�
Finally, this Act
appropriates funds from the general revenues of the State to increase the
amount of funds available in the partial public financing program and to permit
the campaign spending commission to hire more staff to address the anticipated
increase in participation in the financing program.

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SECTION
2
.
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Section 11-425, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

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"
�
11-425
�
Maximum amount of public funds available to
candidate.
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(a)
�
The maximum amount of public funds available
in each election to a candidate for the office of governor, lieutenant
governor, or mayor
of the city and county of Honolulu or the county of
Hawaii
shall not exceed [
ten
]
fifteen
per cent of the
expenditure limit established in section 11-423(d) for each election.

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(b)
�
The maximum amount of public funds available
in each election to a candidate for the office of state senator, state
representative,
mayor of the county of Kauai or the county of Maui,

county council member, and prosecuting attorney shall not exceed [
fifteen
]

22.5
per cent of the expenditure limit established in section 11-423(d)
for each election.

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(c)
�
For the office of Hawaiian affairs, the
maximum amount of public funds available to a candidate shall not exceed [
$1,500
in any election year.

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(d)
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For all other offices, the maximum amount of
public funds available to a candidate shall not exceed $100 in any election
year.
]
ten per cent of the expenditure limit established in section
11-423(d) for each election.

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[
(e)
]
(d)
�
Each candidate who qualified for the maximum
amount of public funding in any primary election and who is a candidate for a
subsequent general election shall apply with the commission to be qualified to
receive the maximum amount of public funds as provided in this section for the
respective general election.
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For
purposes of this section, "qualified" means meeting the qualifying
campaign contribution requirements of section 11-429."

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SECTION
3
.
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Section 11-429, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (a) and (b) to read as follows:

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"(a)
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As a condition of receiving public funds for a primary or general
election, a candidate shall not be unopposed in any election for which public
funds are sought, shall have filed an affidavit with the commission pursuant to
section 11‑423 to voluntarily limit the candidate's campaign
expenditures, and shall be in receipt of the following sum of qualifying
contributions from individual residents of Hawaii:

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(1)
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For the office of governor--qualifying
contributions that in the aggregate exceed $100,000;

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(2)
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For the office of lieutenant
governor--qualifying contributions that in the aggregate exceed $50,000;

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(3)
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For the office of mayor for each
respective county:

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(A)
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County of Honolulu--qualifying
contributions that in the aggregate exceed $50,000;

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(B)
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County of Hawaii--qualifying
contributions that in the aggregate exceed $15,000;

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(C)
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County of Maui--qualifying contributions
that in the aggregate exceed $10,000; and

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(D)
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County of Kauai--qualifying
contributions that in the aggregate exceed $5,000;

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(4)
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For the office of prosecuting attorney
for each respective county:

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(A)
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County of Honolulu--qualifying
contributions that in the aggregate exceed [$
30,000;
]
$25,000;

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(B)
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County of Hawaii--qualifying
contributions that in the aggregate exceed [
$10,000;
]
$5,000;
and

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(C)
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County of Kauai--qualifying
contributions that in the aggregate exceed [
$5,000;
]
$3,000;

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(5)
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For the office of county council--for
each respective county:

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(A)
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County of Honolulu--qualifying
contributions that in the aggregate exceed $5,000;

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(B)
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County of Hawaii--qualifying
contributions that in the aggregate exceed $1,500;

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(C)
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County of Maui--qualifying
contributions that in the aggregate exceed [
$5,000;
]
$4,000;
and

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(D)
�
County of Kauai--qualifying
contributions that in the aggregate exceed $3,000;

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(6)
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For the office of state
senator--qualifying contributions that, in the aggregate exceed $2,500;

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(7)
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For the office of state
representative--qualifying contributions that, in the aggregate, exceed $1,500;

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(8)
�
For the office of Hawaiian
affairs--qualifying contributions that, in the aggregate, exceed [
$1,500;
]

$5,500;
and

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(9)
�
For all other offices, qualifying
contributions that, in the aggregate, exceed $500.

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(b)
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A candidate shall obtain the minimum
qualifying contribution amount set forth in subsection (a) once for the
election period.

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(1)
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If the candidate obtains the minimum
qualifying contribution amount, the candidate is eligible to receive:

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(A)
�
The minimum payment in an amount equal
to the minimum qualifying contribution amounts; and

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(B)
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Payments of [
$1
]
$2
for
each $1 of qualifying contributions in excess of the minimum qualifying
contribution amounts; and

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(2)
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A candidate shall have at least one other
qualified candidate as an opponent for the primary or general election to
receive public funds for that election."

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SECTION 4.
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There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $
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or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 to be deposited into the Hawaii
election campaign fund.

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SECTION
5
.
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There is appropriated out of the Hawaii
election campaign fund the sum of $
or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2025-2026
for
the purposes of this Act.

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The
sum appropriated shall be expended by the
campaign spending commission

for the purposes of this Act.

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SECTION 6.
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There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $200,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2025-2026 for two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) permanent positions to be
placed within the campaign spending commission.

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

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SECTION 7.
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This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that
were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

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SECTION 8.
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Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.
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New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 9.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED
BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Campaign
Spending Commission Package; Partial Public Financing; OHA; Maximum Amount of
Public Funds Available; Minimum Qualifying Contribution Amounts; Expenditure
Ceiling; Appropriations

Description:

Increases
the amount of partial public campaign financing available for all state and
county elective offices.
�
Amends section
11-425, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), by increasing the maximum amount of
public funds available for each election for candidates (1) for Mayor of the
County of Kauai and the County of Maui by 125%; (2) for the Office of Hawaiian
Affairs from $1,500 to 10% of the expenditure limit established in section
11-423(d), HRS; and (3) for candidates for all other offices by 50%.
�
Amends section 11-429(a), HRS, by increasing
the amounts of qualifying contributions for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs from
more than $1,500 in the aggregate to more than $5,000 in the aggregate.
�
Provides a downward adjustment of the amounts
of qualifying contributions for the Office of Prosecuting Attorney for the City
and County of Honolulu, County of Hawaii, and County of Kauai and for the
Office of County Council for the County of Maui.
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Provides for an unspecified appropriation to
pay for the increase in the partial public financing program.
�
Provides for an appropriation in the amount
of $200,000 for the Commission to hire 2 additional staff members.

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