Pioneering, bipartisan effort in Hawaii to fight corporate and dark money spending signed into law

Following Hawaii Gov. Josh Green’s decision on Thursday to sign into law a bipartisan bill to fight corporate and dark money spending in elections, Issue One released the following statement:

“Hawaii’s new law to combat corporate and dark money spending in elections is a model for the country,” said Issue One Director of Money in Politics Reform Michael Beckel.

Beckel continued: “This measure — which was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in Hawaii — is among the most innovative and impactful ideas to curb corporate and dark money spending in campaigns since the Supreme Court’s disastrous Citizens United ruling in 2010. Those looking to bring more transparency and accountability to elections should embrace this powerful proposal and follow Hawaii’s lead.”

Background:

Modeled after the ballot initiative in Montana to combat corporate and dark money spending known as The Montana Plan, Hawaii Senate Bill 2471 would rewrite the law from which corporate charters draw their authority and stop giving corporations the power to spend unlimited sums of money in elections.

Last year, Issue One commissioned a poll from YouGov to measure support for this idea, asking respondents whether they would support a similar proposal in their own state. After respondents were exposed to messaging from both supporters and opponents, 72% of Americans said they would support such a reform, including 81% of Democrats, 64% of Republicans, and 60% of independents. Only 12% of respondents opposed the idea.

Earlier this month, state legislators in Hawaii approved the final version of Senate Bill 2471. It was supported by all Democrats in both chambers of the state legislature and all but one Republican.