Committee advances bill to require financial disclosures from certain gubernatorial nominees

The Senate Committee on Judiciary on Feb. 10 voted to advance SB2248, a bill that would expand the class of people required to file financial disclosures to include certain gubernatorial nominees who are subject to Senate confirmation. Robert Harris, executive director of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, told the committee the main goal is timing: disclosures should be filed before the Senate’s confirmation process so the public and interested parties can review and comment.

"The main focus here is to ensure that financial disclosures are filed prior to the senate affirming, or, going through the confirmation process," Robert Harris said in support of the measure. Committee members adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass the bill with amendments, including a proposed effective date of Jan. 1, 2027 to align reporting cycles and avoid midperiod filings. The committee recorded the measure as adopted and sent it on to the next committee for further consideration.