Campaign Spending Commission

Campaign Spending Commission Meeting
Zoom Video Conference
June 24, 2026
10:00 a.m.

*This is a written summary of the Commission’s public meeting held on June 24, 2026.  For a full recording of this meeting, the video can be found at: Youtube

*Meeting materials can be found at: CSC Website

1. [00:00:02] CALL TO ORDER – At 10:01 a.m., Chair Chee called the meeting to order.  Quorum was established with at least 3 members present.

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

Staff Present:  Kristie Chang, Eunice Park, Terence Lau, Anthony Diep, Sasha Asselbaye, Corie Tanida

Staff Excused:  Kristin E. Izumi-Nitao

Deputy Attorney General Present:  Candace Park

Guest(s):  James Paige, Patti Epler, Mark Ladao

2. [00:03:16] NEW BUSINESS – None

3. [00:03:17] OLD BUSINESS

[00:03:20] Consideration, Discussion, Approval, and/or Update of Commission Legislation and Other Related Bills/Resolutions for the 2026 Legislative Session and Consideration, Discussion, and/or Approval of Commission Legislation for the 2027 Legislative Session – At 10:04 a.m., Associate Director Chang provided updates of the Commission’s 2026 legislative package and other related bills from the 2026 legislative session and proposed Commission bills for the 2027 legislative session.

[00:03:45] H.B.2050, H.D. 1, S.D.1, C.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.  Effective date is ____________.

[00:04:03] S.B.2532, H.D.1, C.D.1 – RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION’S ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.  Amends various sections of the Hawaii campaign spending laws by requiring designated campaign finance forms to be submitted electronically through the Campaign Spending Commission’s upgraded electronic filing system.  Effective date is ___________.

Other 2026 Bills

[00:04:18] S.B.2247, S.D.1, H.D.1, C.D.1 – RELATING TO POLITICAL FUNDRAISING BY EXECUTIVE BRANCH EMPLOYEES.  Prohibits any Executive Branch employee 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.  Effective date is ____________.

[00:04:39] Act 11, S.B.2471, S.D.2, H.D.2, C.D.1 – RELATING TO THE POWERS OF ARTIFICIAL PERSONS.  Reaffirms that artificial persons created under state law possess only those powers that are necessary or convenient to carry out lawful purposes, and that those powers do not include the power to spend money or contribute anything of value to influence elections or ballot measures. Authorizes the Attorney General and the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to impose certain penalties for violations.  Effective date is 7/1/2027.

CSC 2027 Legislative Package

[00:07:25]  CSC-01 – RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.
Amends §11-364, HRS, to provide that an excess contribution of more than $100 in cash, in the aggregate, from a single person during an election period to a candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee shall escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund if not returned to the contributor within 30 days.

[00:07:49] CSC-02 – RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.
Prohibits state or county contractor’s officers and any officer’s immediate family, with contracts of $100,000 or more for goods or services or $250,000 or more for construction, from contributing to candidate or noncandidate committees, candidates, or any person for any political purpose for the duration of the contract. Prohibits grantees, grantees’ officers and grantees’ officer’s immediate family, with grants of more than $100,000, from contributing to candidate or noncandidate committees, candidates, or any person for any political purpose for the duration of the grant. Requires any unlawful contribution to be returned to the contributor or it will escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund.

[00:09:34] CSC-03 – RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.

Prohibits state 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.

[00:10:04] CSC-04 – RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION.  Adjusts the salaries of the Campaign Spending Commission’s Executive Director and Associate Director to align with similar government officials who have compliance and enforcement responsibilities. Appropriates funds.

[00:16:01] Motion – At 10:17 a.m., Commissioner Polk moved to go into Executive Session pursuant to HRS §92-5(a)(4) to consult with the Commission’s attorneys on questions and issues pertaining to the Commission’s powers, duties, privileges, immunities, and liability concerning Act 11, S.B.2471, S.D.2, H.D.2, C.D.1 as well as proposed Commission bills for the 2027 legislative session.  Motion was seconded by Vice-Chair Wong.

[00:16:10] Vote – At 10:17 a.m., motion passed unanimously (4-0).

[00:19:44] At 10:20 a.m., Commission entered Executive Session.

[00:32:19] At 10:33 a.m., Commission returned to Public Session.

4. [00:33:39] REPORT FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – At 10:34 a.m., Associate Director Chang reported on the following items.

[00:33:54] Report on Compliance of Filing Timely Disclosure Reports

[00:36:01] Update on Maplight Contract

[00:39:53] Update on CSC New Commissioner

[00:40:37] Report on 2026 CSC Training for Candidate Committees and Noncandidate Committees

[00:42:38] Report on 2026 July CSC Newsletter

[00:46:29] Report/Observations on the 2026 Election

5. [01:12:10] EXECUTIVE SESSION – Consideration and Approval of Executive Session Minutes of Meeting on 5/13/26. Commissioners did not go into Executive Session.

[01:14:14] Motion – At 11:15 a.m., Commissioner Belsom moved to accept and approve the minutes from the 10:17 a.m. 5/13/26 Executive Session.  Motion was seconded by Vice-Chair Wong.

[01:14:39] Vote – At 11:15 a.m., motion passed unanimously (4-0).

[01:14:44] Motion – At 11:16 a.m., Vice-Chair Wong moved to accept and approve the minutes from the 10:45 a.m. 5/13/26 Executive Session.  Motion was seconded by Commissioner Belsom.

[01:15:12] Vote – At 11:16 a.m., motion passed unanimously (4-0).

[01:15:16] Motion – At 11:16 a.m., Commissioner Polk moved to accept and approve the minutes from the 11:41 a.m. 5/13/26 Executive Session.  Motion was seconded by Vice-Chair Wong.

[01:15:34] Vote – At 11:16 a.m., motion passed unanimously (4-0).

5. [01:15:59] NEXT MEETING – At 11:17 a.m., Chair Chee announced that the Commission’s next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 8, 2026 and that it would be in-person.

[01:17:18] Motion – At 11:18 a.m., Vice-Chair Wong moved to adjourn the meeting.  Motion was seconded by Commissioner Belsom.

[01:17:30] Vote – At 11:18 a.m., motion passed unanimously (4-0).

[01:17:31] The meeting was adjourned at 11:18 a.m.