On the final day of Hawaii’s 2025 legislative session, Common Cause Hawaii expressed disappointment with the legislature’s inaction on significant bills aimed at strengthening the state’s democratic processes. “At a time when Hawaiians are demanding their lawmakers fight back against attacks on our democracy, our legislature failed to act,” stated Common Cause Hawaii State Director Camron Hurt. Hurt emphasized, “It’s embarrassing that the legislature didn’t pass anything to improve access to voting or keep foreign corporations out of our home politics. While some legislators voiced support for these bills, words of support aren’t enough – we the people demand real, meaningful action.”
Throughout the session, Common Cause Hawaii supported several bills designed to advance good governance, including HB 322, which proposed automatic voter registration, and SB 1032, intended to prevent companies with a certain degree of foreign ownership from directly contributing to candidates.
Despite these legislative obstacles, the organization noted a positive development with the inclusion of funding for the Campaign Spending Commission (CSC) in the FY26 budget. This funding allows the CSC to oversee 200,000 additional positions, marking the first opportunity for the Commission to expand since Hawaii achieved statehood. “This is a win for the state’s democratic infrastructure,” the organization commented, highlighting the importance of this development in preserving campaign finance integrity and transparency.
Common Cause Hawaii also shared its grievances regarding the state legislature’s actions, or lack thereof, through a Civil Beat Op Ed.
For further details, individuals are encouraged to visit Common Cause Hawaii’s website at commoncause.org/hawaii.
