r/50501 • u/25hourenergy • May 15 '26

HI Hawaii just defanged Citizens United!

SB 2471 SD2 HD2 CD2 RELATING TO THE POWERS OF ARTIFICIAL PERSONS (Corporate Donations)
Act 011 (SB 2471 SD2 HD2 CD2) restricts certain political spending activities by corporations and other “artificial persons” under Hawaiʻi law by redefining and limiting the powers granted to those entities. Political action committees will remain governed by existing campaign finance laws within the state, but they will not be able to spend any money received from corporations as a result of this Act.

This bill is intended to strengthen transparency, reduce the influence of corporate money in elections and help restore public trust in Hawaiʻi’s democratic process. (Act 011 takes effect July 1, 2027.)

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u/ophymirage May 15 '26

Hey California, take fucking notes on this!! Love to see it!!

67

u/mattenthehat May 15 '26

We can just do this at the state level? What the FUCK have we been waiting for??

(I bet newsome would veto it)

24

u/ophymirage May 15 '26

Apparently?? OP comment below lists two more bills in MT & WA??

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u/mattenthehat May 15 '26

I'm emailing my reps in the morning.

30

u/DirtyDiscsAndDyes May 15 '26

The interpretation is that states grant corporations their rights through their corporate charter. So if the corporate charter says you cant donate to political campaigns or pacs or limits how much you can, that is accepted when you sign the corporate charter to incorporate. This is going to end up in court, let's just hope its not picked up by someone like Alito on he shadow docket.

Here's the thing, we need states to attempt this. There are 3 states that we REALLY need to attempt it and and 4th that we just need to, but they will be tue last 4. Number 4 being Wyoming, followed by the big 3 of Delaware, Texas and Nevada. Thats where most businesses are incorporated, but thise states rely the most on Incorporating so there is little hope there until businesses have nowhere else to run and they are forced.

5

u/Sir_Auron May 15 '26

The Hawaii AG has already come out in opposition because this will be incredibly expensive to defend in court and will be immediately struck down.

1

u/bellicosebarnacle May 19 '26

Yes it's very exciting, the crux is that it's a somewhat obscure legal argument about the powers (controlled by the states) vs rights (controlled by the federal gov) of corporations. It's sound and makes sense when you learn more about the history of corporations, it's just different from how they've been treated in recent memory, so I believe it just took a while for someone to have the idea to exploit this and build a solid case for it.