On May 8, Hawaii legislators sent a bill to Gov. Joshua Green (D) that would prohibit corporations from spending money or participating in election or ballot measure activities. 

SB 2471 would amend state law to modify the powers given to corporations. The bill establishes that corporations have artificial-person powers, defined as the ability to carry out their business or other affairs, but they cannot engage in election or ballot measure activity in Hawaii.

Supporters of the bill say their aim is to limit how the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision applies to corporate political spending in the state.

In that ruling, the Supreme Court held that independent corporate election spending is protected by the First Amendment. The ruling struck down parts of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, a federal campaign finance law.

Rep. Scot Matayoshi (D) said on the floor of the House, “If the states are not brave enough to challenge Citizens United and other court rulings at the highest court in the land, those rulings will stand forever. We need states to step forward in order to challenge these rulings.”

Speaking in opposition to the bill during a March 18 committee hearing, Deputy Attorney General Christopher Han said in written testimony that “While many Americans strongly disagree with the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in Citizens United, under our federal system of government, it is our duty to state that this opinion remains the law of the land, irrespective of its merits (or lack thereof).”

SB 2471 passed the House on May 8 with 41 Democrats and nine Republicans voting in favor and one Republican voting in opposition. That same day, it passed the Senate unanimously.

Legislators in 14 other states have introduced similar bills in 2026, though none have advanced. Six of the bills were introduced in states with Democratic trifectas, four in states with Republican trifectas, and four in states with divided government.

On April 1, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that supporters could continue gathering signatures for a ballot measure that would amend state law to prohibit corporations from engaging in political or ballot measure activities. 

The unanimous ruling came in response to a lawsuit challenging the measure as unconstitutional. The measure could appear on the November ballot.

For more information on campaign finance regulations, click here.