Hawaii has enacted a law that effectively bans dark-money political spending by redefining corporate powers [1].
The legislation, known as the “Corporate Power Reset,” represents a strategic attempt to bypass the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. By altering the legal definition of what corporations are permitted to do, the state aims to reduce the influence of undisclosed corporate funding in its elections [1].
Tom Moore, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, said the move is designed to curb the reach of undisclosed corporate influence [1]. Hawaii is the first state in the nation to effectively ban dark money in elections using this specific legal mechanism [2].
The strategy shifts the focus from regulating the spending itself — which the Supreme Court has largely protected as free speech — to regulating the inherent powers granted to corporations by the state [1]. This distinction allows the state to restrict corporate political activity without directly contradicting federal judicial precedents on campaign finance.
The impact of the Hawaii law is already extending beyond the islands. At least 12 states are now working toward passing similar laws based on this model [2]. These states are exploring the “Corporate Power Reset” as a viable path to increasing transparency in their own electoral processes [2].
As other jurisdictions evaluate the Hawaii model, the legal durability of redefining corporate powers remains a central point of interest for campaign finance reformers. The shift suggests a new era of state-level experimentation in the face of federal judicial constraints [1].
“Hawaii is the first state in the nation to effectively ban dark money in elections”
This legislative approach marks a pivot in campaign finance strategy. Rather than challenging the Supreme Court's interpretation of corporate speech, Hawaii is leveraging state authority to redefine the legal nature of the corporation itself. If this model survives legal challenges, it could provide a blueprint for other states to systematically dismantle the infrastructure of dark-money spending.
