Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission

Check our easy-to-follow Quick Guide for Lobbying:  https://ethics.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/quickguide_lobbying.pdf

Yes. File a separate Lobbyist Registration for each Client/Organization that you represent.

You may register other associates in your lobbying firm or your company as long as each person has a user account that is linked to your firm or organization.

List both the legal name and the “dba” name.

The Hawai‘i State Legislature operates on a biennial legislative system, starting in every odd year. For example, if you registered for 2023-2024, your registration is valid until December 31, 2024.

If you continue to lobby for the same client after that time, you’ll need to file a new registration before the next cycle begins.

You can terminate your lobbyist registration through your e-filing account. Click on the Lobbyist Registration tab on the menu bar and select your registration form.

Click File Termination (top right). In the pop-up window, select the effective termination date (current date is set as default), select reason for termination, and check the certification box. Then click Save to file the termination notice.

The lobbyist who was terminated is the only person who will receive the email confirmation. So, if you are filing on behalf of someone else, you will not receive an email; instead, you can check the filing on the Lobbyist Registration tab.

All lobbyist registrations automatically expire on December 31st at the end of the legislative biennium (which ends in an even-numbered year).

Click on the Expenditures Reports on the menu bar and then click on the New button to create a form.

After you click Save on the initial window, scroll down to the Lobbyist Compensation section on your form. A list of all registered lobbyists for the selected Organization should be automatically populated on your form based on registrations as of that date. If you have more than 6 registered lobbyists, click View All to see the full list.

Be sure to verify the names of lobbyist listed on your form. The list should include lobbyists who were terminated during the reporting period (so you can report their final compensation). If someone is not listed, check if the person is registered in the E-filing System.

Note: Lobbyists do not need to file a separate Lobbyist Expenditure Report if all lobbyist compensation and lobbying-related expenditures are reported by the Client/Organization on an Organization Expenditure Report.

• If you lobbied during the Special Session of the Legislature, please file your Special Session lobbying report within thirty days (30) after the Special Session.  If you did not lobby on matters considered during the Special Session, you are not required to file a Special Session report.
• What to Report?  The special session report covers the reporting period from May 1 through adjournment sine die of the special session.  To avoid duplicate reporting, expenditures and contributions listed on the special session report should be excluded from any regular lobbying reports filed thereafter.

Here are the filing deadlines for 2024:

Wednesday, January 31

• Lobbying Expenditures and Contributions Reports for May 1-December 31, 2023

Monday, April 1

• Lobbying Expenditures and Contributions Reports for January 1-February 29, 2024

Friday, May 31

• Lobbying Expenditures and Contributions Reports for March 1-April 30, 2024

Effective April 19, 2023, ALL lobbyists are required to complete a lobbyist training course prior registering as a lobbyist, and repeat the training at least once every two years.

Act 20 also requires lobbyists to certify that they completed the training and keep a copy of the training certificate or other record of completion for a period of six years after submitting a lobbyist registration.

If you already registered as a lobbyist for 2023-2024, your lobbyist registrations will remain valid through the end of the legislative biennium on December 31, 2024, and you can take the lobbyist training when you renew your registration for 2025-2026.

But if you are hired to lobby for a new client for 2023-2024, then you must file a separate lobbyist registration and complete your mandatory lobbyist training as indicated above.

• To access the online, self-guided training module, go to: https://ethics.hawaii.gov/lobbyistslawtrain/
• Live mandatory lobbyist training webinars are also offered in early January, prior to the start of the legislative session. For a schedule of live trainings, go to: https://ethics.hawaii.gov/live-training/

Please see: https://ethics.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/LOBUserQuickGuide.pdf

Please see: https://ethics.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ORGUserQuickGuide.pdf