Latest Developments:
Hawaii Bill Seeks a Corporate Governance Answer to Citizens United
A bill pending in Hawaii (SB 2471: Business Entities) follows a call by the Center for American Progress (The Corporate Power Reset That Makes Citizens United Irrelevant – Center for American Progress) that seeks to change the definition of corporate entities to provide that they can no longer make political contributions, according to the legislation and Honolulu Civil Beat. The bill would rejigger “corporate powers” so that “artificial persons created under state law” do not have the power “to spend money or contribute anything of value to influence elections or ballot measures.” Can Hawaii Deliver All of America from Citizens United? – Honolulu Civil Beat
Idaho Becomes 25th State to Seek Constitutional Amendment on Campaign Finance Laws
Senate Joint Memorial 109, approved with bipartisan support by the Idaho Legislature, calls on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment affirming the authority of states to govern their election processes. Thirty-four states must call for a convention or 2/3 of both chambers of Congress must propose such an amendment, before 38 states (three-fourths) pass it.
Complaint Seeks Investigation of Donations to President’s Legacy Projects
The Campaign Legal Center has filed a complaint asking the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia to investigate donations made by at least 35 lobbying organizations to President Trump’s legacy projects, including the Ballroom Project, Freedom 250, the Trump Kennedy Center, and the Trump Presidential library. Commentators have generally not agreed as to whether such contributions must be disclosed under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. Complaint to U.S. Attorney for D.C. – Campaign Legal Center and 30-Plus Lobbyists Face Ethics Inquiry for Donations
California Bill Targets Relationships Between UC Executives & Contractors
Senate Bill 1141 seeks to prevent arrangements in which University of California executives sit on boards of companies who do business with the university system, raising ethics concerns. The bill “would prohibit a business entity from bidding on, entering into, renewing, automatically renewing, extending, or expanding the scope of any contract with the University of California if a University of California executive serves or has served the business entity within the previous year.” The ban would extend at least one year after payment ends, with violations potentially triggering a 10-year contracting ban. SF Chronicle – UC Executives
Investigation Shows FTB Conducting Very Few Audits of Lobbyists
Bloomberg Government reported that California’s Franchise Tax Board (FTB) has conducted “less than 1% of the lobbying audits required under the state’s Political Reform Act,” finding that only five audits of state lobbyists and their clients were completed between 2019 and 2025. The FTB has said it lacked resources to do the work. Bloomberg – California Skirts Mandated Audits
Events and Reminders:
On April 21, 2026 at 3 p.m. EDT/noon PDT, “Confronting Threats and Political Interference in Election Administration” will bring together election administrators and policy experts “for a practical, solutions-oriented dialogue about threats to election workers, and what can be done, in the evolving landscape leading into 2026 and beyond.” The panel will feature new research and discuss steps that can be taken to address security, political debates about access and integrity, and public trust in the electoral process. The event is free and open to the public and a joint effort of the Brennan Center for Justice and the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL). Nielsen Merksamer Partner Jason Kaune will moderate. To register, go to Community Calendar – Council on Governmental Ethics Laws.
In Case You Missed It:
What Happens When Money Moves from Political Parties to PACs
A law professor took an insightful look-back at his 2020 report on how regulation of soft money given to political parties would push contributions to the fringes, where donors are not disclosed. How Pushing Money Away from Political Parties to Outside Groups Weakens Democracy can be found in the Election Law Blog, here: Election Law Blog
Democrats Turning to Dark Money More
The New York Times tracked how the “dark money game,” once dominated by Republicans, now has Democrats “running the table,” in part because super-rich donors “fear retribution from President Trump and want to hide the fact that they are together spending hundreds of millions of dollars on liberal candidates and causes.” NY Times – Democrats Embracing Dark Money and NY Times – Wealthy Donors Hiding Political Money
FPPC Reportedly Investigating Santa Clara County for Campaign Mailers
San Jose Spotlight reported that the California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating Santa Clara County’s campaign for a voter-approved sales tax increase, after regional anti-tax groups alleged the county spent public funds for advocacy. The publication cited an FPPC letter and December complaint. San Jose Spotlight – FPPC Investigation
Another Reminder that Work and Politics Don’t Always Mix
In the midst of a highly charged election year, a human resources company issued the common-sense reminder: “There’s pretty much no upside” to talking politics at work, especially in an office setting. Insperity – Talking Politics At Work