KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Hawaii

HB662 • 2026

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.

Elections
Active

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

Sponsor
KILA, EVSLIN, LAMOSAO, TAKENOUCHI
Last action
2025-12-08
Official status
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how exceeding contribution limits would be handled, nor does it mention changes to loan limits for candidates receiving money from their own funds or financial institutions regulated by the state.

Campaign Finance Rules

This bill changes how much money a candidate's family can give to their campaign during an election period.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes contributions by the candidate's immediate family subject to contribution limits of $50,000 in any election period.
  • Limits the total amount of loans and contributions received from the candidate's immediate family to $50,000 during an election period.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Candidates running for office
  • Campaign committees of candidates
  • Immediate family members of candidates

Terms To Know

Contribution
A gift, subscription, deposit of money or anything of value given to influence an election.
Election period
The time frame during which a specific election takes place.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is unclear how this will affect candidates who rely heavily on family support for their campaigns.

Amendments

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

HD1

1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment changes the rules about how much money a candidate's immediate family can give to their campaign, setting limits on both contributions and loans.

  • Candidate's immediate family contributions are now limited to $50,000 in total during an election period.
  • The previous limit for loans from a candidate's immediate family has been removed and is no longer listed as a separate option.
  • The amendment text does not provide clear details on how the new limits will be enforced or monitored.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  2. 2025-02-13 H

    Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3).

  3. 2025-02-13 H

    Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 621) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

  4. 2025-02-05 H

    The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

  5. 2025-01-31 H

    Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 02-05-25 2:00PM in conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  6. 2025-01-28 H

    The committee(s) on JHA recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-05-25.

  7. 2025-01-23 H

    Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 01-28-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  8. 2025-01-21 H

    Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 2

  9. 2025-01-21 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  10. 2025-01-17 H

    Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.
Campaign Finance; Contributions
Makes contributions by the candidate's immediate family subject to contribution limits. Amends the loan amount that a candidate or candidate committee may receive from the candidate's immediate family. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB662

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

662

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

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 11-302, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending the definition of "contribution" to read as
follows:

����
""Contribution"
means:

����
(1)
�
A gift, subscription, deposit of money
or anything of value, or cancellation of a debt or legal obligation and
includes the purchase of tickets to fundraisers, for the purpose of:

���������
(A)
�
Influencing the nomination for
election, or the election, of any person to office;

���������
(B)
�
Influencing the outcome of any question
or issue that has been certified to appear on the ballot at the next applicable
election; or

���������
(C)
�
Use by any candidate committee or
noncandidate committee for the purpose of subparagraph (A) or (B);

����
(2)
�
The payment, by any person or party
other than a candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee, of
compensation for the services of another person that are rendered to the
candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee without charge or at
an unreasonably low charge for a purpose listed in paragraph (1);

����
(3)
�
A contract, promise, or agreement to
make a contribution; or

����
(4)
�
Any loans or advances that are not
documented or disclosed to the commission as provided in section 11-372[
[
].[
]
]

����
"Contribution"
does not include:

����
(1)
�
Services voluntarily provided without
compensation by individuals to or on behalf of a candidate, candidate
committee, or noncandidate committee;

���
[
(2)
�
A candidate's expenditure of the
candidate's own funds; provided that this expenditure shall be reportable as
other receipts and expenditures;

����
(3)
]

(2)
�

Any loans or advances to the candidate committee; provided that
these loans or advances shall be reported as loans; or

���
[
(4)
]

(3)
�

An individual, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee
engaging in internet activities for the purpose of influencing an election if:

���������
(A)
�
The individual, candidate committee, or
noncandidate committee is uncompensated for the internet activities; or

���������
(B)
�
The individual, candidate committee, or
noncandidate committee uses equipment or services for uncompensated internet
activities, regardless of who owns the equipment and services."

����
SECTION

2
.
�
Section 11-359,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as
follows:

����
"
(b)
�
A contribution by the candidate's immediate
family shall
not
be exempt from section 11-357[
, but shall be limited
in the aggregate to $50,000 in any election period; provided
that
the aggregate amount of
loans and contributions received from the candidate's immediate family does not
exceed $50,000 during an election period
].
"

����
SECTION

3
.
�
Section 11-371,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as
follows:

����
"(a)
�
A candidate or candidate committee may
receive a loan from any or all of the following:

����
(1)
�
The candidate's own funds;
provided
that the maximum amount of the loan in the aggregate is $2,000;

����
(2)
�
A financial institution regulated by
the State or a federally chartered depository institution and made in
accordance with applicable law in the ordinary course of business;
and

���
[
(3)
�
The candidate's immediate family in
an aggregate amount not to exceed $50,000 during an election period; provided
that the aggregate amount of loans and contributions received from the
immediate family shall not exceed $50,000 during an election period; and

����
(4)
]

(3)
�

Persons other than the candidate[
,
]
or
a financial
institution described in paragraph (2), [
or the candidate's immediate
family,
] in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10,000 during an election
period; provided that:

���������
(A)
�
If the $10,000 limit for loans from
persons other than the [
immediate family
]
candidate
is reached,
the candidate and candidate committee shall be prohibited from receiving or
accepting any other loans until the $10,000 is repaid in full; and

���������
(B)
�
If a loan [
from persons other than
the candidate's immediate family
] is not repaid within one year of the date
that the loan is made, the candidate and candidate committee shall be
prohibited from accepting any other loans.
�

All campaign funds, including contributions subsequently received, shall
be used to repay the outstanding loan in full."

����
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:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Campaign
Finance; Contributions

Description:

Repeals
the exemption for the expenditure of candidate's own funds under the definition
of contribution.
�
Makes contributions by
the candidate's immediate family subject to contribution limits.
�
Amends the loan amount that a candidate or
candidate committee may receive from the candidate's own funds or immediate
family.

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