THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2454
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 11-351, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) [Monetary contributions and] Within seven days after a candidate or any individual authorized to receive contributions on behalf of a candidate or noncandidate committee receives a monetary contribution or other campaign funds, the contribution or other campaign funds shall be [promptly] deposited in a depository institution, as defined by section 412:1-109, duly authorized to do business in the State, including a bank, savings bank, savings and loan association, depository financial services loan company, credit union, intra-Pacific bank, or similar financial institution, the deposits or accounts of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the National Credit Union Administration in the name of the candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee, whichever is applicable."

SECTION 2. Section 11-365, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§11-365 Contributions and expenditures by lobbyists prohibited during legislative session. (a) During any regular session or special session of the legislature, including any extension of any regular session or special session and any legislative recess days, holidays, and weekends, and for five calendar days before and after a session, no lobbyist shall make, or promise to make at a later time, any contributions or expenditures to or on behalf of an elected official, candidate, candidate committee, or any other individual required to file an organizational report pursuant to section 11-321. No elected official, candidate, candidate committee, or other individual required to file an organizational report pursuant to section 11-321 shall accept, or agree to accept at a later time, any contribution from a lobbyist during the specified period under this subsection. Any elected official, candidate, candidate committee, or other individual required to file an organizational report pursuant to section 11-321 who receives a contribution from a lobbyist before the specified period under this subsection shall deposit the contribution within seven days after receipt of the contribution or before the specified period, whichever is sooner.

(b) Any contribution prohibited by this [subsection] section shall escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund. An elected official, candidate, candidate committee, or any other individual required to file an organizational report pursuant to section 11-321, alleged to have received a prohibited contribution in violation of this section, shall be administratively referred by the state ethics commission executive director to the campaign spending commission.

[(b)] (c) For the purposes of this section:

"Elected official" has the same meaning as in section 11‑342.

"Lobbyist" means any person actively registered as a lobbyist with a state or county ethics board or commission.

"Session" means a period in which both legislative houses are in session."

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:

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Report Title:

Campaign Contributions; Lobbyist Contributions

Description:

Requires a candidate or any individual authorized to receive contributions on behalf of a candidate or noncandidate committee to deposit the monetary contribution or other campaign funds into a depository institution within seven days of its receipt. Requires any elected official, candidate, candidate committee, or other individual required to file an organizational report who receives a contribution from a lobbyist to deposit the contribution within seven days of its receipt.

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