HB691 • 2026

RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION.

Budget Elections Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: KAPELA, GRANDINETTI, IWAMOTO, PERRUSO, POEPOE, TARNAS
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 the bill aims to improve enforcement or if it mandates specific use of funds beyond appropriation.

Campaign Spending Commission Funding

This bill provides funding for three full-time staff members at the Campaign Spending Commission to help enforce campaign finance rules.

What This Bill Does

Appropriates $300,000 in funding for two fiscal years (2025-2026 and 2026-2027) to support three full-time staff positions at the Campaign Spending Commission.

Who It Names or Affects

The Campaign Spending Commission, which will receive funding and new staff members.
Campaigns and candidates who must follow campaign finance rules enforced by the commission.

Terms To Know

FTE: Full-Time Equivalent - a measure used to describe staffing levels in terms of full-time employees.
Campaign Finance Laws: Rules that control how campaigns can raise and spend money during elections.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens after the two-year funding period ends.
It is unclear if additional staff will be needed beyond the initial three positions.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION.
Campaign Spending Commission; Positions; Appropriation ($)
Appropriates funds to the campaign spending commission for permanent positions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB691

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

691

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

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
enforcement of campaign finance regulations is essential to preserving the
public trust.
�
In recent years, numerous
policy proposals to strengthen campaign spending laws have been put forward,
including legislation recommended by the commission to improve standards of
conduct in 2022, such as proposals to increase public financing in local
elections and other ideas aimed at enhancing the islands' electoral system.

����
The
legislature additionally finds that the campaign spending commission is tasked
with enforcing campaign finance laws and managing the State's campaign spending
programs.
�
Despite the establishment of
numerous new campaign finance regulations in the decades after its inception,
the commission has not received additional personnel.

����
The
legislature further finds that it is in the public's interest to ensure that
the campaign spending commission has the staffing necessary to effectively
enforce campaign finance laws and implement upgrades to Hawaii's campaign
spending programs. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds
for additional staffing for the campaign spending commission.

����
SECTION
2.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $300,000 or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for three full-time
equivalent (3.0 FTE) permanent positions within the campaign spending
commission.

����
The sums

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

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Campaign
Spending Commission; Positions; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates
funds to the campaign spending commission for permanent positions.

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