2015 Legislature

The Commission would like to inform you of the following campaign finance bills which were passed during the 2015 legislative session and signed into law:

1.  Act 79, SLH 2015 (S.B. 508 S.D. 1 H.D. 2 C.D. 1)

Governor David Ige signed S.B. 508 S.D. 1 H.D. 2 C.D. 1 into law as Act 79 on June 3, 2015.  Act 79, effective July 1, 2015, amends HRS §11-336(a) requiring noncandidate committees to file an additional preliminary report on October 1 of the year of a general election.

2.  Act 78, SLH 2015 (S.B. 654 S.D. 1 H.D. 2 C.D. 1)

Governor David Ige signed S.B. 654 S.D. 1 H.D. 2 C.D. 1 into law as Act 78 on June 3, 2015.  Act 78, effective January 1, 2016, amends HRS §11-353(d) relating to the prohibition of anonymous contributions, reduces the threshold amount on the calabash bowl exception from less than $500 to less than $100 from 10 or more persons at the same political function.

3.  Act 209, SLH 2015 (H.B. 1491 H.D. 2 S.D. 1 C.D. 1)

Governor David Ige signed H.B. 1491 H.D. 2 S.D. 1 C.D. 1 into law as Act 209 on July 2, 2015.  Act 209, effective January 1, 2016, amends HRS §11-323(a), HRS §11-335(b), and HRS §11-338(b) requiring additional reporting by noncandidate committees solely making independent expenditures (i.e., Super PACs) for contributions aggregating more than $10,000 on their disclosure reports and greater than $5,000 on their late contribution reports from contributing entities that are not individuals, for-profit business entities, or labor unions.  This law requires independent expenditure committees to report: (1) the internet address where a contributing entity’s disclosure report can be publicly accessed; (2) the name, address, occupation, and employer of each funding source of $100 or more to the contributing entity; or (3) an acknowledgment that the contributing entity is not subject to any state or federal disclosure reporting requirements regarding the source of the contributing entity’s funds.