Bill > SB1558

This bill aims to extend campaign finance regulations to neighborhood board elections in Hawaii by removing the previous exemption for these boards from existing campaign finance laws. Specifically, the bill requires candidate committees for neighborhood board elections to file an organizational report with the Campaign Spending Commission (CSC) when they receive contributions or make expenditures over $1,000 for printing and mailing campaign materials. The legislature's rationale is to address potential undue influence from interest groups in neighborhood board elections and increase transparency around campaign spending. The bill accomplishes this by amending two sections of Hawaii Revised Statutes: first, modifying the definition of "office" to include neighborhood boards, and second, updating reporting requirements so that neighborhood board candidates must file an organizational report within ten days of receiving contributions or making expenditures over the $1,000 threshold for printing and mailing campaign materials. This change will bring neighborhood board elections under the same financial disclosure standards as other local elections, allowing for greater public oversight of campaign spending in these local political contests.

Government Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1558&year=2026