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SB809Introduced in the Senate

Relating To Campaign Contributions.

IntroducedSenate Ways and Means

Introduced by Karl Rhoads, District 13

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

Writing a plain-English summary of this bill… this can take a few seconds the first time.

Official description

Prohibits state or county grantees, officers and immediate family members of state or county contractors, and officers and immediate family members of state or county grantees, from contributing to candidate committees and noncandidate committees for the duration of the contract. Prohibits state or county grantees from knowingly soliciting any contributions. Requires candidates, candidate committees, and noncandidate committees to return any unlawful contribution to the contributor within thirty calendar days of receipt. Provides that an unlawful contribution shall escheat to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund if it is not returned to the contributor within thirty calendar days. Requires disclosures of the names of any owners, officers and immediate family members of a state or county contractor or grantee for contracts exceeding a certain amount. (SD1)

Where it stands

Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

December 8, 2025

How did lawmakers vote?

SenateStage: Senate Judiciary: Passed, With Amendments · January 31, 2025

4

Yes

0

No

1

Absent or Not Voting

5 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

What do people think?

Citizen Voice

How would you vote on this bill?

An unofficial public opinion poll. It does not affect the bill or the official vote.

One response per device. Location is self-reported and not verified. Results are informal and not a scientific survey.

See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Joy San Buenaventura2Yes
Stanley Chang9Yes
Karl Rhoads13Yes
Mike Gabbard21Yes
Brenton Awa23Absent

Bill history

  1. Introduced.

  2. Passed First Reading.

  3. Referred to JDC, WAM.

  4. The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 01-31-25 9:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

  5. The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa.

  6. Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 155) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

  7. Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

  8. Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

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