House committee backs House vehicle for partial public financing, defers comprehensive public-funding proposal

The House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs Committee on March 12 exchanged substantial testimony about public campaign financing and voted to use the House partial public financing vehicle rather than advance the Senate’s comprehensive public-financing bill.

Why it matters: Public financing changes can alter who can realistically run for office and how campaigns are funded. Advocates argued higher expenditure limits and stronger matching ratios would make the program viable for more candidates; the campaign spending commission warned that higher match ratios and higher expenditure limits significantly increase program cost without identified funding sources.

What the committee did: Chair Tarnas proposed inserting the language from House Bill 370 HD2 into SB345 as an HD1 and sending that measure to finance. The committee adopted that approach; members noted cost concerns and directed attention to the trust fund that supports the existing partial public-funding program. The committee deferred SB51 (comprehensive public financing) to avoid moving two competing public-financing vehicles during the current budget climate.

What testifiers said: Advocates including Aria Juliet Castillo (Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action) and Evan Weber (Clean Elections Hawaii/Our Revolution Hawaii) urged higher matches and increased expenditure limits to make public funding a viable option for everyday candidates. Campaign Spending Commission Executive Director Kristin Izumi Nitao supported the intent but warned the proposed Senate numbers would exceed available trust-fund money; she recommended the House bill as the more affordable, implementable program.

Numbers and fiscal context: The Campaign Spending Commission told the committee a high-match, high-limit model could require tens of millions of dollars; commission testimony noted about $2.2 million currently sits in the public funding trust. Advocates provided alternative scenarios and suggested options — including narrowing covered offices or changing the check-off funding mechanism to opt-out — to increase available revenue.

Ending: The committee advanced a partial public-financing bill (HB370 language inserted into SB345 as HD1) to finance, while deferring the broader SB51 proposal. Members and advocates flagged funding trade-offs and recommended further work in finance and possible conference negotiations.