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Committee advances bill to limit foreign corporate influence in state elections with amendments
Summary
SB 1032, which tightens prohibitions on foreign nationals and foreign corporations making campaign contributions or expenditures, was advanced with committee amendments to restore definitional language from a prior bill, advocates said the change addresses a Citizens United loophole.
The committee voted to advance Senate Bill 1032, a campaign finance measure that would further restrict foreign national and foreign corporate participation in state elections, adopting amendments requested by witnesses to restore language from a previously filed bill.
John Bonifaz, president of Free Speech For People, testified in person after joining the hearing and urged adoption of language from last session's SB 3243 that Bonifaz said contained clearer legislative findings and precise definitions of "foreign influence corporations." "This bill would end foreign influence corporate spending in state elections in Hawaii," Bonifaz said, and called the measure part of a national effort to close a loophole created, in his view, by the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United decision.
Committee discussion noted existing federal prohibitions on foreign nationals but framed SB 1032 as a targeted fix to corporate-structure workarounds. The chair recommended adopting language from the prior bill and moving SB 1032 forward with those amendments; the committee approved the recommendation and reported the bill with amendments.
Organizations listed in written testimony included labor groups and civic organizations in support and some business groups in opposition; the transcript lists ILWU Local 142, Unite Here Local 5, Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action and the League of Women Voters among supporters and the Global Business Alliance among opponents.
The committee recorded a vote to pass SB 1032 with amendments and forward it to the next committee for further consideration.
