SB404 Would Hide Source of Funding for Political Ads

from Sandy Ma, Executive Director, Common Cause Hawaii

I need your help to stop a dangerous bill that would make it easier for candidates, including incumbents and first-time office seekers, to avoid basic transparency about the political ads they pay for.

SB 404 would roll back key transparency protections, making it almost impossible for voters to know who is paying for an election advertisement, and why, about a political candidate.

Your immediate action is needed to stop SB 404 from becoming law. Take action by writing and calling the Governor today to urge him to veto SB 404 >> Write to Governor

We must speak up for transparency in our elections -- so we can stop SB 404 from becoming law. This bill would repeal and weaken important campaign reporting requirements for spending and disclosures.

As voters, we have a right to know who is trying to influence our choices. But SB 404 would threaten that right -- making it easier for candidates to disguise their electioneering, and deny us our right to transparency. SB 404 would take an ax to transparency and disclosure laws for campaign electioneering.

Gov. Ige must hear from you that he needs to veto this harmful bill before Monday, June 21 .

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LINK: Write to Governor

SB404: Text, Status  “Lowers the monetary threshold that triggers disclosure of electioneering communications. Repeals the requirement that disclosures of electioneering communications occur on the date of any subsequent expenditures. Classifies election advertisements sent by mail at any postal rate as electioneering communications. Exempts communications that are actual expenditures of an organization from being considered electioneering communications. Excludes candidate and candidate committees from the disclosure requirements. Applies beginning with the 2022 primary election.”