We’re never short of people and groups seeking to shape the work of each Hawaii legislative session to their own benefit.
Our state is no different than any other in that regard. But what continues to set Hawaii apart is its lack of solid laws to regulate that lobbying. This leaves our legislative process vulnerable to corruption, particularly in a state government controlled entirely by one political party.
As Civil Beat’s Nathan Eagle reported last week, companies and organizations spent nearly $1 million to lobby the Legislature in the first two months of this year’s session. Hawaii law gives the public the right to know how much those concerns are spending on lobbyists and who is doing the work. But that’s pretty much where it ends. Continue…
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