Rep. Julie Reyes Oda

Maddy summaryHB 768 allocates state funds to hire new investigators for the Campaign Spending Commission. This bill directly provides the Commission with resources to expand its staff for monitoring campaign finance compliance. The key provision is a budget appropriation specifically for establishing these new investigator positions, enabling the Commission to strengthen its oversight capacity.

Appropriates funds for a one-time hazard pay bonus to state officers and employees in bargaining units 5, 6, and 7, and their excluded counterparts under certain conditions.

Requires the office of legislative analyst to produce fiscal notes on all fiscal bills. Prohibits a committee from making a decision on a fiscal bill without a fiscal note. Mandates that fiscal notes be made available to the public. Appropriates funds.

Prohibits officers, senior employees, consultants, and immediate family members of state or county contractors from contributing to candidate committees or noncandidate committees for the duration of the contract. Provides that if any unlawful contribution is not returned to the contributor within 30 days, the unlawful contribution shall escheat to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund.

Maddy summaryHB 522 creates a monthly tax holiday for small businesses in the state by waiving the general excise tax on the first Saturday of every month. This directly affects small businesses that pay the state's general excise tax on transactions. The bill establishes a recurring, automatic exemption for these businesses on specific dates each month. The policy change would reduce their tax burden on those designated Saturdays without requiring additional applications.

Establishes a fee based on the total expenditures or disbursements made by noncandidate committees within a calendar year. Establishes a process for verification and review of proposed electioneering communications. Establishes a minimum font size for certain information that must be included on campaign advertisements.

Requires that each county council district feature at least one voter service center for elections. Provides further, that each county council district must have one voter service center open on election day.