SB2531 • 2026

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.

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Sponsor: KOUCHI (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-01-28
Official status: Referred to JDC, WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.
Campaign Spending Commission Package; Solicitation; Acceptance Campaign Contributions; Candidate Committees Amends section 11-357, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), to prohibit state and county elected officials as defined in section 11-342(d), HRS, from soliciting or accepting campaign contributions during any Regular Session or Special Session of the state Legislature, including any extension of any Regular Session or Special Session or any legislative recess day, holiday, or weekend.

Limits and Unknowns

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Bill History

2026-01-28 S
Referred to JDC, WAM.
2026-01-23 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.
Campaign Spending Commission Package; Solicitation; Acceptance Campaign Contributions; Candidate Committees
Amends section 11-357, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), to prohibit state and county elected officials as defined in section 11-342(d), HRS, from soliciting or accepting campaign contributions during any Regular Session or Special Session of the state Legislature, including any extension of any Regular Session or Special Session or any legislative recess day, holiday, or weekend.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2531

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2531

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 11-357, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

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"
[
[
]�
11-357[
]
]
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Contributions to candidate committees; limits
[
.
]
; contributions to elected
officials; when prohibited.

�
(a)
�
No
person shall make contributions to:

����
(1)
�
A candidate
seeking nomination or election to a two‑year office or to a candidate
committee in an aggregate amount greater than $2,000 during an election period;

����
(2)
�
A candidate
seeking nomination or election to a four‑year nonstatewide office or to a
candidate committee in an aggregate amount greater than $4,000 during an
election period; or

����
(3)
�
A candidate
seeking nomination or election to a four‑year statewide office or to a
candidate committee in an aggregate amount greater than $6,000 during an
election period.

����
(b)
�

For purposes of this section, the length of term of an office shall be
the usual length of term of the office as unaffected by reapportionment, a
special election to fill a vacancy, or any other factor causing the term of the
office the candidate is seeking to be less than the usual length of term of
that office.

����
(c)
�
No elected official, as defined in section
11-342(d), shall solicit or accept campaign contributions during any regular
session or special session of the legislature, including any extension of any
regular session or special session, and any legislative recess day, holiday, or
weekend.

����
(d)
�
For purposes of this section,
"session" means a period in which both legislative houses are in
session.
"

����
SECTION 2.
�
This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.

����
SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION
4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.

INTRODUCED
BY:

_____________________________

By
Request

Report Title:

Campaign
Spending Commission Package; Solicitation; Acceptance Campaign Contributions;
Candidate Committees

Description:

Amends
section 11-357, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), to prohibit state and county
elected officials as defined in section 11-342(d), HRS, from soliciting or
accepting campaign contributions during any Regular Session or Special Session
of the state Legislature, including any extension of any Regular Session or Special
Session or any legislative recess day, holiday, or weekend.

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