STAND. COM. REP. NO. 105-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2053

H.D. 1

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. 2053 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit state and county elected officials from soliciting or accepting campaign contributions during any Regular Session or Special Session of the Legislature, including any extension of any Regular Session or Special Session or any legislative recess day, holiday, or weekend.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that prohibiting elected officials from soliciting or accepting campaign contributions while the Legislature is in session would reduce the financial advantage of incumbents and promote a fairer electoral system. Your Committee believes that narrowing the prohibition initially to state elected officials will allow the Legislature to take a measured first step in evaluating the effectiveness and impacts of restricting campaign fundraising during legislative sessions, before considering whether similar restrictions should be extended to county elected officials in the future.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Narrowing the scope of the prohibition to only state elected officials;

(2) Adding a definition for the term "state elected official";

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 2053, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2053, H.D. 1, 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