On Friday, Gov. Josh Green signed seven “good government” bills into law. The raft of legislation was introduced after two influential lawmakers were caught taking bribes to alter the course of bills in 2022; public outcry in response prompted formation of an ethics advisory commission that crafted 31 measures addressing the state’s public ethics, lobbying and campaign spending laws.
“The people of Hawaii deserve a transparent and accountable government,” Green said. Agreed.
But despite some laudable lawmaking so far, one of the most powerful reforms suggested by the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct (CISC) has stalled in the state Senate.
Both House Bill 726, drawn from CISC recommendations, and House Bill 89, proposed by the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission, would prohibit state and county elected officials from asking for, or taking, campaign contributions during the legislative session. The bills have languished in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and will be dead for the session if not heard by Thursday.
These bills deserve to be heard and voted on by the full Senate. During the last session, the Legislature passed a half-step bill affecting the same range of candidates, banning fundraising events during session, so there’s no justification for shelving these reforms.
Also worthy is Senate Bill 1543, even though it’s not a CISC recommendation. It would have a powerful effect by weakening the influence of big-money donors on candidates, establishing a publicly funded elections process. This would help to create more opportunity for fresh voices in elected positions, by reducing the advantage of tight relationships with wealthy donors and adding weight to public support.
A hearing for SB 1543 is scheduled today at 2 p.m. It’s supported by the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Common Cause and other good-government groups.
House Bill 712, another valuable “sunshine” bill, will be heard today at 10 a.m. It encourages boards (with licensing boards as an exception) to provide public access to recordings of meetings, as well as minutes — far more informative than minutes alone. Testimony for
SB 1543 and HB 712 can be submitted at capitol.hawaii.gov — click “Participate” to weigh in with your support.
Other measures recommended by the CISC have crossed over from the House, but appear to have been squashed in the Senate — a severe miscalculation of the public’s appetite for reform. Should these bills fail this session, they must be revived and enacted at the first opportunity:
>> HB 719 would cap or waive the cost of “reproducing” certain government records, eliminating the practice of using exorbitant fees to discourage or deny access to public records. With electronic reproduction now available, it is past time to enact this bill.
>> HB 723 would expand Sunshine Law requirements to legislatively appointed bodies, and can be tailored to exclude certain sensitive entities. It’s a step forward to ensure public access to and participation in government meetings and should rightly move forward.
Open government and “sunshine,” rules that keep the windows open for public viewing of the legislative process, and accountability, the requirement that lawmakers and public servants openly stand by their decisions and actions, are the first, best protections against corruption.
The bills just passed and signed into law by the governor advance these goals. Among the most notable:
>> HB 90 requires notice of all fundraising events, including “free” functions.
>> HB 99 sets a $100 limit on the cash a candidate, a candidate committee or a noncandidate committee may accept from a single person during an election period.
>> HB 137 requires lobbyists to disclose any bill or specific administrative action commented on, advocated for or opposed on required reports, taking effect Jan. 1, 2025.
>> HB 142 adds to the legal prohibition against lawmakers’ taking gifts, prohibited under state ethics laws, by also prohibiting lobbyists from offering these unlawful gifts.
