CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 159-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2050

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2050, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PARTIAL PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the expenditure limit and the amount of funds available to candidates qualified to participate in the Partial Public Financing Program, including candidates for the Board of Trustees for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, who run statewide;

(2) Encourage participation in the Partial Public Financing Program by providing for the adjustment of the amount of minimum qualifying contributions required for certain offices;

(3) Increase matching fund payments from $1 to $4 for each $1 of qualifying contributions in excess of the minimum qualifying contribution amounts; and

(4) Appropriate funds from the general revenues of the State to increase the amount of funds available in the Partial Public Financing Program.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Allowing candidates participating in the Partial Public Financing Program to allocate up to seventy-five percent of their authorized aggregate expenditure limits and available public funds to either the primary or general election, while preserving the combined limits applicable to both elections;

(2) Amending the maximum amount of public funds available in each election to:

(A) 12.5 percent of the expenditure limit for a candidate for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu or County of Hawaii; and

(B) 18.75 percent of the expenditure limit for a candidate for the office of state senator, state representative, Mayor of the County of Kauai or the County of Maui, county council member, or prosecuting attorney;

(3) Amending the matching fund payments to $2 for each $1 of excess qualifying contributions;

(4) Appropriating $2,267,021.06 to increase the amount of funds available in the Partial Public Financing Program;

(5) Changing the effective date to November 4, 2026; provided that the appropriation takes effect on July 1, 2026; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2050, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2050, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ KARL RHOADS Chair	____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair
____________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM Co-Chair	____________________________ AMY A. PERRUSO Co-Chair