Hawaii
Hawaii Lawmakers Consider Comprehensive Public Campaign Finance Program
For the second year in a row, Hawaii lawmakers are considering a major election reform bill that proponents say would reduce the influence of wealthy donors in state politics by enhancing the state’s system of public campaign financing.
The bill, called Clean Elections by a coalition backing it, would establish what it calls a “comprehensive” public campaign financing option in the state, meaning it would aim to provide candidates enough money to be competitive without needing additional funds. Supporters of the program say it would encourage a larger candidate field for state and local offices, spur more candidate interactions with voters, and curb the amount of campaign cash coming from industry-connected donors.
But last year, Hawaii good government groups saw a closely similar bill expire behind closed doors in the state Senate Ways and Means Committee. The 2023 bill was killed even as Hawaii’s political leaders were weighing sweeping reforms to strengthen ethics in state government—about a year before, two former state lawmakers pleaded guilty in a bribery scheme.
This year, the Clean Elections bill, numbered SB 2381, has taken a different path in the Hawaii legislature. It was advanced earlier this month by a pair of state Senate committees and passed the Senate unanimously on Feb. 20. The measure was introduced by Senate Judiciary Chair Karl Rhoads—and was recently reported in USA Today to have the support of House Speaker Scott Saiki.
Now, the fate of the bill lies with the Hawaii House of Representatives. No hearings have yet been scheduled for the bill, leaving coalition members to closely watch the legislative schedule in the weeks ahead. If the bill is passed by the House and signed into law by Gov. Josh Green, a Democrat, the public campaign funding program would first be offered in the 2028 election cycle.
Sludge inquired with Saiki’s office as to whether the Clean Elections bill could expect to be scheduled for House hearings this year, and did not receive a response.
Common Cause Hawaii, a nonpartisan good government group, is a leading member of the Clean Elections Hawaiʻi Coalition that has been mobilizing Hawaii residents and policy researchers to submit written testimony to help the measure pass the legislature. Some other members of the coalition include Indivisible Hawaii, the League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and Lāhainā Strong, a group of small business owners affected by the Maui wildfires of 2023.
“It is important for anyone, especially an elected official who says they believe in expanding access to democracy, to support public campaign financing,” said Camron Hurt, program manager of Common Cause Hawaii. “Anything else would just be paying lip service to a critical issue in this state—we have lacked comprehensive anti-corruption reform, even though we’ve been plagued by corruption over the past decades.”
“It is time for our legislators to decide—are they anti-corruption or are they beholden to special interests,” Hurt said.
The proposal’s design is similar to state public campaign financing systems in Maine, Arizona, New Mexico and Connecticut that offer campaign funding to candidates who opt-in and demonstrate sufficient voter support. A report on the bill that was prepared last year by political scientist Colin D. Moore of the University of Hawaii at Mānoa found a consensus in scholarship that such programs improve electoral competition and lead to greater diversity among both candidates and donors.
The bill would allow participating candidates who gather a certain amount of $5 donations from voters to qualify for grant funding to run their campaigns. For example, state House candidates could qualify for up to $50,000 in funding by obtaining donations from 125 contributors, and candidates for governor could be eligible for grants worth up to $2.5 million by securing 6,250 qualifying contributions. Office seekers who opt in would need to abide by reporting requirements, be barred from further private fundraising, and observe limits on total spending to ensure that the public funding was comprehensive in fueling their run.
The grant funding proposed in the bill aims to level the playing field between incumbent politicians and newcomers. Incumbents in the Hawaii House spent an average of $57,883 on each election since 1994, while their challengers spent only $16,500 in dollars adjusted for inflation, according to Moore’s report. On average, 90% of incumbents won their re-election bids over the past decade, according to the report’s analysis of the data from the Hawai‘i Campaign Spending Commission.
Hurt says the bill is needed because the current campaign finance laws empower wealthy interests. “In the age of the Citizens United decision, it is important for states to be proactive in how money is allocated in elections,” Hurt told Sludge. “We’re making a commitment to take big money influence out of our elections and truly let them be decided by the people.”
The Clean Elections Hawaiʻi Coalition sent a letter to every Hawaii legislator last fall with a legislative reform agenda. Hurt said that the outpouring of public testimony—leaping from 146 letters last year to 269 letters this year in support of the measure, and with overall testimony running above 500 pages—helped it advance through the Senate.
In his testimony this month, Hurt emphasized that a public funding system would allow elected officials to work on behalf of their constituents, “without being beholden to fundraising.” A July 2022 poll by Data for Progress found that of more than 1,000 Hawaii voters, 74% expressed support for a candidate who would vote to establish a public campaign financing program.
Hawaii Rep. Jeanné Kapela, the first Native Hawaiian to represent her district, told Sludge that public funding for campaigns stands to increase participation in state elections by Native Hawaiians and working-class residents.
“Establishing a clean elections program for Hawai’i is essential to advancing the public’s interest. Too often, big money donors are able to buy influence at the legislature through campaign cash, preventing the voices of working families from being heard,” Kapela said.
“Native Hawaiians and other racial minorities are underrepresented in government, in part because they lack the means to participate in local politics,” Kapela said. “This continues the historic repression of Hawaiian voices within our homeland, while the corporations that have suppressed our communities are able to buy access to power that further entrenches their influence over our land and our livelihoods.”
“Native Hawaiians rank low in most statewide social metrics, including income level, educational attainment, and public health,” Kapela said. “If we want to uplift the well-being of the Hawaiian community, we must empower them with the resources they need to assert themselves in the political process.”
Hawaii voter turnout recently fell to a record low: in the 2022 election, under half of state voters cast ballots in the state’s general election, which included a race for governor. While Hawaii has had a partial public campaign financing system for state elections in place since 1979, its matching funds have been used by only a small number of candidates in recent cycles, Moore’s report found, issuing just $71,878 in the 2022 election.
The Clean Elections bill would allocate $30 million each general election year. The total amount disbursed to candidates could be lower—the Clean Elections coalition estimates that even with robust participation the grants might total less than $10 million a year, or under 0.05% of the state budget. Connecticut’s grant system, for comparison, even with a high rate of candidates participation paid out $13.5 million in the 2020 election, according to Moore’s report. A 2020 report by Common Cause evaluating the Connecticut program found that donations from special interest donors, defined as organizations representing private groups, to winning state legislative candidates plummeted by 98% after the clean elections program was implemented.
Political bribery scandals have played out in Hawaii headlines in recent years. In 2022, two former lawmakers—J. Kalani English, the former majority leader of the state Senate, and Ty Culler, the former vice-chair of the House Finance Committee—pled guilty to accepting bribes in a scheme to benefit a wastewater company. An anti-corruption commission formed by Hawaii House Speaker Scott Saiki released a slew of ethics recommendations, including legislative proposals to reduce the power of money in politics.
“A key feature of the Hawai‘i proposal is the ample funding it promises to candidates,” said Moore, an associate professor of political science who recently directed a public policy center at the University of Hawaii. “Past experience shows that the level of financial support is a key determinant of candidate participation. The current Hawai‘i bill offers $33,500 in the primary and $16,500 in the general for a total of $50,000. That’s more than enough money to run a competitive state House race in Hawai‘i, so I suspect that we’d have high rates of participation.
“Effective block grant programs have proven to increase electoral competition. This heightened competition results in stronger voter mobilization and better communication efforts,” Moore said. “For instance, there’s some evidence that Arizona’s public financing program reduced ballot ‘roll off,’ which is the tendency of voters to leave ballots blank for less-visible legislative and municipal races. I have every reason to suspect we might see similar results here in Hawai‘i.
“I’m particularly optimistic that this program would provide candidates with more time to forge more meaningful connections with voters and delve deeply into policy issues,” Moore said. “Past research demonstrates that fully funded candidates spend more time engaging with their constituents and participating in community events. Given Hawai‘i’s small legislative districts and community-oriented style of politics, the impact could be particularly strong here.”
I live in New York City. My 30-year-old son, Alec, lives across the country in Southern California. When I visit, I respect that he has his own busy, adult life. While I’d like nothing more than to spend every minute with him, I’m proud of his independence and try not to monopolize his time.
Alec has a roommate and no space for an overnight guest. When I’m on his home turf, I stay in a hotel or with a friend.
When he comes to NYC for the holidays, his schedule is packed. Plus, with the entire family under one roof, it can be tough to carve out one-on-one time.
I don’t feel shut out of Alec’s life, but I do miss spending quality time with him, so I floated the idea of a mother-son vacation.
He set a few ground rules before we started planning
Alec was vocal that for our getaway to work, we’d need to approach it as equals. This may sound deceptively simple, but it took lots of self-control on my part.
Little kids and I pair like milk and cookies. I did my graduate studies in early childhood education and taught preschool for years. Parenting young kids is never easy, but it felt instinctive. It grew harder as my children grew older.
Alec is my firstborn, and my parental grip was tightest around him. When he was a teenager, he told me I didn’t understand that teens needed autonomy. At the time, he was correct, but over the years, I’ve worked hard to pacify my bossy instincts.
This time, I would welcome his voice in planning our vacation.
Alec brought up another rule: that part of being equal should include sharing expenses. I gifted Alec his airline ticket using miles, and we split additional expenses.
Choosing a destination
Alec had four days off work over Memorial Day Weekend. I advocated for a location that wasn’t too hot, as I had suffered a bout of heatstroke in Greece last summer. A yoga class nearby would be a bonus.
Alec made a case for Hawaii. He’d never been, but its laidback reputation appealed to him. He said he wanted to destress at a resort and eat poke every day.
Hawaii is special to me. I first visited when I was a kid, spending a summer at my aunt and uncle’s home in Waianae on Oahu. The idea of sharing Hawaii with Alec was exciting.
From a practical point of view, Hawaii made sense. There are numerous nonstop flights from LAX, Alec’s home airport. I was going to be in Denver for work, so I was already heading in a westerly direction.
Courtesy of Allison Tibaldi
Each of the Hawaiian Islands has its own flavor. We had lots of options and weren’t quite sure how to narrow them down.
Alec is a fan of the television cooking show “Top Chef.” During his online research, he learned that former contestant Sheldon Simeon was scheduled to be the visiting chef at the Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay on the island’s North Shore on the Saturday night of our trip.
The Hawaiian-born chef would be preparing a multi-course dinner using island-grown ingredients. I’m all about exploring local culture through food, so it seemed like a jackpot for both of us.
After we booked the dinner, we figured it made sense to stay at the Ritz-Carlton.
Balancing time together and separately was key
Another boundary we set for our vacation was balancing time together with time apart.
Each morning, Alec surfed, and I swam laps in the pool. I signed up for a lei-making workshop while he attended a tennis clinic.
In a perfect world, we would have reserved individual rooms; however, we shared a room for economic reasons.
We were still able to maintain boundaries and give each other privacy as our room had a comfortable ocean-view patio, perfect for reading and relaxing.
Meaningful conversations are what stand out
Time together sparked the meaningful conversations and connection I had longed for.
On May 24, I mentioned that it was my beloved dad’s heavenly birthday. Alec shared tender memories of his grandpa and told me that my dad had been a father figure for him, too, teaching him lessons that continue to impact his life. It made me teary.
We also had an intelligent discussion on income inequality. Alec overheard a group of vacationing doctors and a group of vacationing teachers chatting in the Jacuzzi. He said the doctors worked very long hours without complaint, while the teachers complained nonstop about their overwhelming workload. This led to a conversation between Alec and me about teachers being underpaid and undervalued.
As a former teacher, I found that my son’s thinking about socio-economic issues that hit so close to home really resonated with me.
Our mother-son vacation brought us closer
Our mother-son vacation was a success. Alec ate plenty of poke. I got to practice yoga. Together, we swam in the Pacific, walked trails surrounded by gardenias, and enjoyed a delectable Hawaiian dinner.
As much as I loved our activities, it’s the memories of our personal and poignant conversations that are etched in my heart.
I can’t wait to travel with Alec again.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A state senator is challenging the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ (DLNR) decision to extend the deadline for the Puuhonua O Waianae (POW) encampment at Waianae Boat Harbor.
It comes as state and community leaders continue efforts to relocate residents to a permanent site.
The deadline was originally set for the end of June and has been pushed to Oct. 16.
State Sen. Samantha DeCorte said the extension marks the third delay in the relocation process since the original notice to vacate was issued last year. The initial deadline was Nov. 27, 2025, followed by extensions to April 30 and June 25 before the most recent extension.
DeCorte criticized the repeated delays during a press conference on Saturday.
“We are calling on DLNR Acting Chair Ryan Kanakaole, members of Puuhonua O Waianae, and the governor’s office to do what they said they would do. Complete the transition, honor the commitment, and bring this process to a close. After 20 years, another extension is not the solution,” DeCorte said.
She added concerns remain around public safety near the harbor, including reports of vandalism involving fishing equipment and conditions she says affect families and students traveling through the area.
“Fishermen have dealt with vandalism (and) theft of their equipment. Public safety concerns have persisted, and kids have to walk past unsafe conditions just to get to school.”
DLNR said the extension is intended to provide additional time for the relocation of the POW community to a nearly 20-acre site in Waianae Valley, while construction continues at the mauka housing development.
Kanakaole said in an email sent to DeCorte Friday that POW requested a deadline extension to vacate by the end of November, and the department, along with the governor’s office, reached an agreement on the October move-out deadline.
“DLNR, POW, and the Governor’s Office worked through what remains to be completed and established a reasonable timeline tied to actual relocation, cleanup, and closure activities and to provide for the most orderly and voluntary transition, which will ultimately lead to a solution that will last,” Kanakaole’s email said in part.
He added that more than 100 people remain at the site and POW leaders said that number should substantially reduce over the next several weeks, “potentially by nearly half within the next month.”
Read Kanakaole’s full email to DeCorte here.
The agency said it is coordinating with community leaders to ensure residents can relocate safely and to support cleanup and transition efforts at the harbor.
The relocation site has been part of a long-term plan tied to the late community leader Twinkle Borge, who envisioned moving families from the harbor into permanent housing.
Community leaders with Puuhonua O Waianae said the process remains complex and cannot be completed immediately.
Kala Paishon, a community leader with the encampment, said some residents are still unable to move because housing units at the new site are not yet complete. He also said limited transportation and volunteer support make moving difficult for some families.
“We do have some people that volunteer their time to help our people move. We’re limited on our vehicles, but we do what we got to do to move the people up there,” Paishon said.
He added that many residents have deep ties to the harbor after years of living there.
“Some people have been here 10-plus years,” Paishon said. “This is the memory they have, and this is where they felt like home.”
Paishon also said crews are working to gradually transition residents while maintaining cleanup efforts at the site.
“We’re making sure everybody moves up there safely… at the same time, we’re still cleaning up our opala down here.”
DLNR said it continues to work with community leaders and the governor’s office to move the relocation process forward in the coming months.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
Hawaii
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Responds to Senate Bill Involving Pōhakuloa – Big Island Video News
(BIVN) – The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) says it is in alignment with provisions in the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act dealing with military-leased lands in Hawaiʻi, including the Pōhakuloa Training Area.
In a news release, OHA said it is encouraged by the bill’s “clear movement away from condemnation and toward negotiated solutions” for the approximately 19,700 acres of state lands at Pōhakuloa, and 450 acres at Kahuku. “The process outlined is consistent with OHA’s long-standing position opposing condemnation – whether forcible or ‘friendly’ – and insisting that lands held in public trust remain in the public trust and continue benefiting Native Hawaiians and future generations of Hawaiʻi’s people.”
The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee recently passed the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA. The bill is expected to advance to the full United States Senate for consideration by the end of July 2026, OHA says.
In a June 12th news release, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D, Hawaiʻi) said she voted against the NDAA. Hirono is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Ranking Member of the Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee.
“I’m proud to have secured numerous provisions in the Senate’s FY27 NDAA that invest in military readiness, Hawaii, the Indo-Pacific Region, and our servicemembers and their families, while also holding the Army accountable on the military training land lease negotiations,” Hirono stated at the time. “However, I could not in good conscience vote to advance a bill that paves the way for an up to 40% increase in year-over-year Department of Defense spending, especially as this administration wages an illegal war in Iran with no plan or end in sight.”
Hirono said the bill “directs the Secretary of the Army to seek from the State of Hawaii, on terms acceptable to both the Army and the State, a renewal of expiring training land leases. As part of this, requires the Army to expeditiously resubmit their Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) for the leased lands and address deficiencies identified by the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources.”
OHA noted Section 2864 of the NDAA also requires a report to Congress on the steps and proposals taken to advance lease renewals, within 60 days from the NDAA’s enactment.
“The Senate Armed Services Committee’s action reflects meaningful progress in acknowledging Hawaiʻi’s unique legal and cultural context,” stated OHA chair Kaialiʻi Kahele. “The removal of condemnation as an option and the requirement for renewed environmental review are consistent with what OHA has long advocated – that these lands must not be permanently alienated and that Hawaiʻi’s concerns must be fully addressed in good faith. Congress appears willing to respect Hawaiʻi’s laws and institutions. The opportunity before us now is to fully embrace the responsibilities and authorities those laws entrust to us. OHA will continue to ensure Native Hawaiian rights and public trust responsibilities remain central to any future decisions.”
OHA has been holding high-level meetings in Washington, D.C. concerning the military lease renewals.
OHA says it is also actively moving forward with a comprehensive Ka Paʻakai Analysis for Pōhakuloa Training Area. “The Board of Trustees has already approved a Permitted Interaction Group allocation of $60,000 to support this work, and OHA is finalizing a memorandum of understanding with DLNR to complete the work,” the Office stated. The analysis “will help create a more complete record of the cultural, historical, and community connections to these lands, providing decision makers with information necessary to evaluate potential impacts, identify appropriate protections, and fulfill their responsibilities under Hawaiʻi law.”
From the OHA news release:
OHA also notes that the NDAA contemplates the pursuit of future lease arrangements pursuant to Section 2667 of Title 10, United States Code. As discussions continue regarding potential lease terms, community benefit commitments, land-back and lease-back models, and other components of any future agreement, OHA believes those arrangements must remain consistent with Hawaiʻi’s environmental laws and public trust obligations. Any benefits derived from renewed use of these lands should reinforce the purposes of the public trust, protect traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices, honor the history and significance of these lands, and preserve the value they were intended to provide for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries and future generations of Hawaiʻi’s people.
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