Campaign Spending Commission

Campaign Spending Commission Meeting
In-Person and Zoom Video Conference
April 15, 2026
10:00 a.m.

*This is a written summary of the Commission’s public meeting held on April 15, 2026.  For a full recording of this meeting, the video can be found at: Youtube

*Meeting materials can be found at: CSC Website

1. [00:00:00] CALL TO ORDER – At 10:05 a.m., Chair Chee called the meeting to order. Quorum was established with 3 members present.  Chair Chee noted that there are only 4 seated Commissioners due to a vacancy created by the recent gubernatorial appointment of Commissioner Jon Itomura to the State Public Utilities Commission (“PUC”).

Commissioners Present:  David Chee, Danton Wong, Barbara Polk, Caroline Belsom

Staff Present:  Kristin E. Izumi-Nitao, Kristie Chang, Eunice Park, Terence Lau (via Zoom), Anthony Diep, Sasha Asselbaye

Deputy Attorney General Present:  Candace Park (via Zoom)

Guest(s):  Chad Blair (via Zoom)

2. [00:03:11] CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MEETING ON 3/18/26

Commissioners decided that they would no longer review a written summary of the recorded meeting because the Sunshine law does not require it.

3. [00:14:27] NEW BUSINESS

[00:14:37] Welcome and Introduction of New Elections Assistant Sasha Asselbaye – At 10:20 a.m., Executive Director Izumi-Nitao introduced the Commission’s new Elections Assistant Sasha Asselbaye who started on 3/30/26.

4. [00:16:00] OLD BUSINESS

[00:16:10] Consideration, Discussion, Approval, and/or Update of Commission Legislation and Other Related Bills/Resolutions for the 2026 Legislative Session – At 10:22 a.m., Associate Director Chang provided updates of the Commission’s 2026 legislative package and other related bills for the 2026 legislative session.

[00:16:58] H.B. 2050, H.D.1, S.D.1 / S.B. 2528, S.D.1, H.D.1 – RELATING TO PARTIAL PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS.  Increases the expenditure limit and the amount of partial public campaign financing available for all elective offices. Adjusts the minimum amount of qualifying contributions certain candidates must receive to participate in the program. Increases the matching fund payments for excess qualifying contributions.

[00:20:09] S.B.2530, S.D.2, H.D.1 – RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.  Requires disclosure of the names of compensated officers, and their immediate family members, of state contractors with contracts exceeding the small purchase threshold established under the Hawaii Public Procurement Code and grantees with grants exceeding $250,000. Prohibits the compensated officers of state contractors, and their immediate family members, from making, promising, or soliciting certain campaign contributions for the duration of the contract exceeding the small purchase threshold. Prohibits state grantees, including compensated officers and their immediate family members, from making, promising, or soliciting certain contributions for the duration of the grant exceeding $250,000. Requires unlawful contributions to be returned to the contributor or escheat to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund. Appropriates funds.

[00:24:56] H.B.1519, H.D. 1, S.D.1 – RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.  Requires disclosure of the names of compensated officers of state and county contractors and grantees.  Prohibits the compensated officers of state and county contractors and grantees from making, promising, or soliciting certain campaign contributions for the duration of the contract or grant from making, promising, or soliciting certain contributions for the duration of the contract or grant.  Requires unlawful contributions to be returned to the contributor or escheat to the Hawaiʻi Election Campaign Fund.

[01:00:08] H.B.2107, H.D.1 / S.B.2247, S.D.1 – RELATING TO POLITICAL FUNDRAISING BY EXECUTIVE BRANCH EMPLOYEES.  Prohibits any Executive Branch employee with procurement authority who is nominated or appointed by the Governor to a compensated position subject to confirmation by the Senate from engaging in certain campaign fundraising activities.

[01:01:04] S.B.1032, S.D.2, H.D.1 – RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.
Prohibits foreign entities and foreign-influenced business entities from making contributions, expenditures, electioneering communications, or donations for election purposes. Allows every business entity that contributes or expends funds in a state election to certify that the entity is not and will not be a foreign corporation or foreign-influenced business entity if the entity intends to make contributions or expenditures within an election cycle. Specifies that if the conditions that determine whether a business entity qualifies as a foreign influenced business entity are held unconstitutional by a final judgment, including all appeals, the Campaign Spending Commission is required to establish revised conditions that are constitutional. Requires noncandidate committees making only independent expenditures to obtain a statement of certification from each top contributor required to be listed in an advertisement avowing that no funds were derived from foreign entities or foreign-influenced business entities.

[01:03:09] S.B.2447, S.D.1, H.D.1 – RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.
Provides that the period of limitations for criminal prosecutions under campaign finance laws commences upon discovery of the offense by the Campaign Spending Commission, rather than being limited to five years from the violation date or report filing date.

5. [01:06:37] REPORT FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – At 11:12 a.m., Executive Director Izumi-Nitao reported on the following items.

[01:06:45] Report on Compliance of Filing Timely Disclosure Reports

[01:12:55] Update on Maplight Contract

[01:15:42] Update on CSC Staffing and New Commissioner

6. [01:17:24] EXECUTIVE SESSION

[01:18:37] Motion – At 11:23 a.m., Commissioner Wong moved to go into Executive Session to approve the executive session minutes on 3/18/26.  Motion was seconded by Commissioner Belsom.

[01:18:47] Vote – At 11:23 a.m., motion passed unanimously (4-0).

[01:19:34] At 11:25 a.m., Commission entered Executive Session.

[01:25:52] At 11:31 a.m., Commission returned to Public Session.

[01:26:13] Motion – At 11:32 a.m., Commissioner Belsom moved to accept and approve the minutes from the 3/18/26 Executive Session related to Docket #26-03 – In Re the Matter of Elijah Pierick and Elijah Pierick – District 19 as amended.  Motion was seconded by Commissioner Polk.

[01:26:31] Vote – At 11:32 a.m., motion passed unanimously (3-0).  Chair Chee abstaining from voting due to being excused from the 3/18/2026 Executive Session.

[01:26:35] Motion – At 11:32 a.m., Commissioner Belsom moved to accept and approve the minutes from the 3/18/26 Executive Session related to The Babylon Bee, LLC and Dawn O’Brien vs. Anne E. Lopez et al, Civil No. CV25-00234 HG-KJM.  Motion was seconded by Commissioner Polk.

[01:26:57] Vote – At 11:32 a.m., motion passed unanimously (3-0).  Chair Chee abstaining from voting due to being excused from the 3/18/2026 Executive Session.

7. [01:27:20] NEXT MEETING – At 11:33 a.m., Chair Chee announced that the Commission’s next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

[01:27:42] Motion – At 11:33 a.m., Commissioner Polk moved to adjourn the meeting.  Motion was seconded by Commissioner Belsom.

[01:27:47] Vote – At 11:33 a.m., motion passed unanimously (4-0).

[01:27:50] The meeting was adjourned at 11:33 a.m.