STAND. COM. REP. NO. 104-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2051

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2051 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require any excess cash contribution exceeding $100, in the aggregate, from a single person during an election period to a candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee to escheat to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund if not returned to the contributor within thirty days.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission and League of Women Voters of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that existing law prohibits candidates, candidate committees, and noncandidate committees from accepting a contribution of more than $100 in cash, in the aggregate, from a single person during each election period. This measure ensures that any excess cash contributions are returned to the contributor within thirty days and, if not returned within thirty days, are deposited into the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund. Thus, the treatment of excess cash contributions will be consistent with the treatment of other types of excess contributions.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2051 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair