BREAKING: Advocates Rally at the Capitol Calling on Speaker Saiki to Keep His Legislation For Clean Elections Alive
If the Speaker has the will to advance the popular legislation he introduced, there are multiple avenues to move it forward, including through last session’s SB1543 which is still alive in Conference Committee
FOOTAGE: HIGHLIGHT CLIP, FULL PRESS CONFERENCE
HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi — On Monday afternoon March 18th at the Hawai‘i Capitol The Clean Elections Hawaii Coalition rallied at the legislature calling on Speaker Saiki and other House leaders to follow the will of the public in keeping the legislation for publicly financed elections that Speaker Saiki himself introduced alive by any means necessary, in order to create an alternative to the pay-to-play campaign finance system that fosters a culture of corruption in our politics.
The legislation supported by 71% of Hawaii registered voters was passed unanimously by the Senate last month and was introduced in the House by none other than House Speaker Saiki this year in the form of SB2381. It has been endorsed by every good government group in Hawai‘i, a broad and diverse coalition of dozens of advocates and former elected officials including Governors and Mayors. It has been referred to as the “one more shot” that legislators have to accomplish major reform before the election to deal with the fact that 2 in 3 voters believe legislators are “more focused on the interests of their wealthy donors than on the needs of my community,” and that 9 in 10 voters believe legislators become “obligated” to those who give them campaign money — 53% believing greatly so. Despite all of that, the SB2381 was deferred on Thursday by Speaker Saiki’s House Judiciary Chair David Tarnas, despite having previously supported it.
If Speaker Saiki truly believes in the legislation he authored, there are multiple avenues for him to continue to advance the legislation, including by urging Chair Tarnas to amend the bill and re-schedule it for a hearing before Tuesday’s deadline, or, as supporters point out, by reviving last year’s SB 1543 which is still alive after stalling in conference committee.
Quotes from supporters and speakers at the rally:
“There is still time to pass legislation establishing a clean elections system," said Representative. Jeanné Kapela. "Last session, the House and Senate passed SB 1543, which is sitting in conference committee right now. We should take action on SB 1543 this year to deliver transformative campaign finance reform for our state. The people of Hawai'i shouldn't have to wait any longer for legislators to restore trust and accountability to local government."
“We need to get money out of politics. The influence of money in politics puts our working class communities at a disadvantage when it comes to ensuring their voices are heard. More often than not, the interests of large donors connected to corporate interests drown out the voices of our working class,” said Sergio Alcubilla, Executive Director of the Hawai‘i Workers Center. “Saving the Clean Elections bill is critical if we're serious about a level playing field for our working class residents.”
"Last week, Senate Bill 2381 died in committee, but the energy for a clean elections program lives on because SB 1543 is already undergoing conference committee negotiations," said Kris Coffield, Co-Chair of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i's Legislative Committee. "Clean elections is one of the Democratic Party’s top priorities this year. Failing to pass it is not an option."
“There is not a soul in the legislature that can deny the efficacy of this program in bringing more Native Hawaiian and other underrepresented voices into our democracy in a meaningful way. Yet, when it is time to make true systemic change and not just pay lip service, the people are without a champion, said Camron Hurt, Program Manager of Common Cause Hawai‘i. “We urge all lawmakers to look within themselves and their values and look to the 70 plus percent of kama‘āina who support publicly financed elections to find the courage to-give the 2023 legislation, which already passed both chambers, the support it deserves as it waits in conference committee."
“This bill opens up opportunities for grassroots leaders-- like the ones I have been honored to work with -- who really know their communities, to consider running for elected office. They will have a fighting chance despite the specter of corporate donors and SuperPACs who back candidates who will be responsive to those special interests,” said — Dawn Morais Webster, a concerned citizen who spoke at Monday’s emergency rally. “Voters are sick and tired of the stream of scandals involving people they had voted for in good faith. We are counting on Speaker Saiki to do the right thing and keep Clean Elections legislation alive.”
“We are here today because as voters it is our kuleana to demand that elected officials serve their constituents,” said Lisa Gibson, President of Indivisible Hawai‘i. “We will take note of those in office with the moral compass to take action on clean elections for Hawaii and who demonstrate the will to ensure that we have a functioning democracy.”
“The influence of money, the need for candidates to raise money from private individuals and private interests, just to keep their job - is inherently corrupting. The most honest of politicians will still return the phone calls of top donors sooner, and pay more attention to the interests and issues of top donors - than they might otherwise do with a normal constituent in their district,” said former State Senator and Kaua‘i County Councilmember Gary Hooser. “Whether consciously or unconsciously, the scales are always tipped in favor of the donor. Take away that hand on the scale and democracy wins.”
“We see over and over in our programming and organizing work that engaging in government feels daunting, intimidating or people feel like those spaces are just not for them,” said Nanea Lo of the Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action. “It is crucial to create equal opportunities for newcomers and grassroots candidates without significant financial backing to ensure a thriving democracy. Clean elections conveys that public service is open to everyone, regardless of financial resources. Publicly funded elections can help repair and restore the prevalent distrust in the government in Hawai‘i that many local people feel.”
Clean Elections Hawai‘i will continue to put pressure on Speaker Saiki to use his power to ensure the will of the people is enacted over the coming 6 weeks through the end of the legislative session, to ensure that the legislation Saiki introduced and has already passed both chambers of the legislature is enacted and made law.
Citizens can call Speaker Saiki’s office at 808-586-6100 and write to Speaker Saiki, House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee Chair David Tarnas, and their own representatives at bit.ly/savecleanelectionshi and urge them to keep the Clean Elections legislation alive.
About Clean Elections Hawai‘i: The Clean Elections Hawaiʻi Coalition represents over three dozen leading local organizations coordinating to advance a pro-democracy agenda in our islands and help end the corrupting influence of big money on our politics. Supporting organizations include: Common Cause Hawaiʻi, Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi, League of Women Voters of Hawaiʻi, Our Hawaiʻi Action, The Hawaiʻi Workers Center, Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Lāhainā Strong, Free Access Coalition, Chamber of Sustainable Commerce, Global HOPE (Hawaiʻi Organization for Peace and the Environment), HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi Women’s Caucus, Friends of Makakilo, Kauhakō ʻOhana Association, Living Wage Hawaii, 350 Hawaiʻi, Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus, Imua Alliance, Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative, Our Revolution Hawaiʻi, LGF Consulting, Community Alliance Partners, Habitat for Humanity Hawaii Island, Going Home Hawaii, Young Progressives Demanding Action, HULI PAC, Holomua Collaborative, League of Women Voters of Honolulu, Malama Makua, Americans for Democratic Action Hawaii, Indivisible Hawaii, Kihei Community Association, Aloha ʻĀina Women’s Patriotic League, Clarity Project, Funder Hui, Saturation Point, Hawaii-Fi, Makawalu Creatives, Energy Transitions, Public Citizen, Rethink Media, and more.
For more information, contact team@cleanelectionshawaii.org
