SB 118: RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION.
- Session Year: 2025-2026
- House: Senate
- Latest Version Date: 2025-02-11
Current Status:
Failed
(2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.)
Introduced
In Committee
First Chamber
In Committee
Second Chamber
Final Decking
Enacted
Establishes an investigator position in the Campaign Spending Commission. Appropriates funds. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)
Establishes an investigator position in the Campaign Spending Commission. Appropriates funds.
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
118 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish an investigator position in the campaign spending commission.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the establishment of full-time equivalent ( FTE) permanent investigator position to be placed in the campaign spending commission.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the campaign spending commission for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on April 23, 2057.
Report Title:
Campaign Spending Commission; Investigator; Appropriations
Description:
Establishes an investigator position in the Campaign Spending Commission. Appropriates funds. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
118 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
Accordingly, the purpose of this act is to establish an investigator position in the campaign spending commission.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $125,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent investigator position to be placed in the campaign spending commission.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the campaign spending commission for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
_____________________________ |
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Report Title:
Campaign Spending Commission; Investigator; Appropriations
Description:
Establishes an investigator position in the Campaign Spending Commission. Appropriates funds.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
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Date
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Status
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| Dec 8, 2025 | Carried over to 2026 Regular Session. |
| Feb 12, 2025 | Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. |
| Feb 12, 2025 | Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 307) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. |
| Feb 5, 2025 | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Chang. |
| Jan 29, 2025 | The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-05-25 9:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. |
| Jan 16, 2025 | Referred to JDC, WAM. |
| Jan 15, 2025 | Introduced and passed First Reading. |
| Jan 9, 2025 | Pending Introduction. |
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Date
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Description
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Location
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Votes
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| Feb 5, 2025 | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS | Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
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Organization
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Position
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Date
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| Campaign Spending Commission | ** Support | |
| League of Women Voters of Hawaii | ** Support |
STAND. COM. REP. NO. 307
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 118
S.D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 118 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish an investigator position in the Campaign Spending Commission.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Campaign Spending Commission, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and twenty-seven individuals.
Your Committee finds that the Campaign Spending Commission, the state agency for enforcement of the State's campaign finance laws, does not have a designated investigator position. The existing five staff members perform investigative duties, as needed, including testifying in court when cases are prosecuted. Your Committee further finds that the Campaign Spending Commission has not had an increase in personnel for the past twenty-nine years, despite the number of candidate committees and noncandidate committees having doubled in size in that time. Your Committee additionally finds that the Campaign Spending Commission has a modest budget and nominal staff despite a tremendous growth in committees, an expansion in its duties and responsibilities, and enforcement mandates. This measure will maintain the integrity and transparency of the campaign finance process by increasing the Commission staff by one investigator position.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Changing the appropriation and number of positions to unspecified amounts;
(2) Inserting an effective date of April 23, 2057, to encourage further discussion; and
(3) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.
Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, contains an unspecified appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $125,000 for the establishment of one full-time equivalent permanent investigator position to be placed in the Campaign Spending Commission.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 118, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 118, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,
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________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair |
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Bill Author
Bill Co-Author(s):
