The Oklahoma Ethics Commission announced the updated 2026 Ethics Rules are available. Campaign finance updates include increasing the limit for cash contributions from $50 to $200. In lobbying regulations, the rule permitting infrequent gifts from legislative lobbyists on occasions of personal significance has been repealed. The governor, legislators, or any employee of the governor or the Legislature may now accept gifts of traditional business expenses from legislative lobbyists and lobbyist principals. Meals and other traditional business expenses, as well as non-meal food and beverage, are reported when the cumulative yearly total exceeds $20. Lobbyist principals of legislative lobbyists may now provide food and beverage for legislative sessions.

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The campaign contribution limits for candidates in the U.S. Virgin Islands have been adjusted pursuant to the passage of Senate Bill 236. The amount that may be contributed to candidates by individuals, committees, corporations, and labor unions has increased from $1,000 to $3,500 per election. The contribution limit to a multicandidate political committee has increased from $1,000 to $3,500 per candidate per election. The updates took effect upon approval by Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. on June 9.

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Hawaii Redefines Corporate Powers to Exclude Election Spending

Hawaii has enacted one of the most significant state-level laws concerning corporate election activity since the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Senate Bill 2471, signed into law by Governor Josh Green, redefines the scope of corporate powers for entities organized or transacting business in Hawaii by explicitly excluding election-related spending. The law is set to take effect on July 1, 2027, though legal challenges are anticipated before that date.

Understanding what the law allows, which entities it covers, and what penalties apply is essential for any organization with a presence in the state.

What Hawaii’s SB 2471 Changes for Corporate Election Activity

At its core, SB 2471 removes election and ballot-issue activity from the scope of powers available to corporations and other artificial legal entities in Hawaii. This means that covered entities will be effectively prevented from paying, contributing, or expending money or anything of value, whether directly or indirectly, to support or oppose a candidate, political committee, or political party.

The law applies beyond candidate elections. Covered entities are also prevented from spending to support or oppose constitutional amendments, county charter amendments, or other ballot questions once those measures have been formally certified or submitted to voters. Additionally, the law removes the authority for covered entities to make donations of any kind, except  charitable donations.

There is an exception for bona fide news stories, commentaries, and editorials. However, even that exception does not apply if the broadcasting, print, online, or digital distribution facility is owned or controlled by a candidate, political committee, or political party.

Which Entities Are Covered Under the New Hawaii Election Spending Law

SB 2471 applies broadly across entity types. The law covers domestic and foreign corporations, professional corporations, credit unions, agricultural cooperative associations, consumer cooperative associations, limited-equity housing cooperatives, limited liability partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, nonprofit associations, and nonprofit corporations other than committees.

A critical provision of the bill conditions its applicability on ongoing enforcement against foreign entities transacting business in Hawaii. 

Candidate committees, noncandidate committees, and similar committees created under federal law are explicitly granted the power to engage in election and ballot-issue activity.  These carve-outs preserve the ability of political committees to operate within established campaign finance frameworks 

Penalties for Violations of  Hawaii’s Corporate Powers Limits

Any election or ballot-issue activity by a covered entity will be deemed void. Beyond that, the consequences for violations can include suspension of the entity’s authority to operate or transact business in Hawaii, ineligibility for state contracts, designation as a non-compliant entity, revocation of the entity’s operating instrument, involuntary dissolution, and revocation of tax-exempt status where applicable.

Enforcement authority is limited to two state officials: the attorney general and the director of commerce and consumer affairs. This centralized enforcement structure means that private parties and local officials cannot independently pursue violations, Hawaii’s Law in the Context of the Post-Citizens United Landscape

Hawaii is not acting in isolation. The state is one of several jurisdictions that have introduced measures this year addressing the role of corporate powers in elections. These efforts represent an ongoing legislative response to the 2010 Citizens United decision, which held that the federal government’s restriction on independent political expenditures by corporations, associations, and labor unions violated the First Amendment.

While the Citizens United ruling remains the law of the land at the federal level and as applied throughout the states,  Hawaii is approaching the issue in a novel way. SB 2471 received overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers of the Hawaii legislature, signaling broad political backing for the measure. However, the law is expected to face legal challenges before its effective date of July 1, 2027.

Organizations operating in Hawaii or monitoring state-level campaign finance developments should track the progress of any litigation closely, as court rulings could shape the future  of similar measures in other states.

Steps for Businesses and Organizations to Prepare

Even though the law does not take effect until July 2027, companies and organizations with operations in Hawaii should begin evaluating their existing election and ballot-issue spending activity. Assess whether your entity type is covered under the law. Identify any planned contributions, expenditures, or ballot-measure spending that would need to be curtailed before the effective date.

For organizations operating across multiple states, Hawaii’s new law adds another layer to an already complex patchwork of state-level campaign finance and corporate governance requirements. State and Federal Communications provides compliance consulting services to help government affairs professionals and corporate counsel navigate these evolving obligations.

The Denver, Colorado City Council is set to consider sweeping reforms to the city’s lobbying code. Bill 26-0686 would require lobbyists to report grassroots lobbying expenditures in addition to legislative and administrative lobbying activities. The bill includes definitional changes, updated registration requirements, and additional disclosure requirements for lobbyists’ activity reports. The council next considers the legislation on June 8.

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The 2026 legislative session adjourned sine die June 1 after lawmakers passed several campaign finance and ethics bills. Legislators passed several bills targeting electioneering communications, including House Bill 459, which prohibits certain communications portraying a candidate through the use of AI; House Bill 540, which adds a disclosure requirement for digital material broadcast within 60 days before an election; and House Bill 639, which prohibits certain automated calls using the voice of a public figure created using AI. Senate Bill 495, effective on January 1, 2027, if approved by the governor, increases in-kind contributions and expenditures from $50 to $200; changes the due date of committee supplemental reports; and raises the contribution limit to unsuccessful major office candidates from $20,000 to $24,000. Lawmakers also passed House Bill 260, which allows legislators to accept transportation to foreign countries for trade, cultural, diplomatic, educational, or humanitarian purposes under certain circumstances. Unless otherwise specified, bills approved by the governor or allowed to become law without his signature will become effective August 1.

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Lobbying thresholds decrease June 7 due to rule amendments approved at the Texas Ethics Commission’s May meeting. The threshold for lobbyist compensation and reimbursement decreased from $1,990 to $1,200. The lobbyist expenditure threshold decreased from $990 to $650 per calendar quarter, not including expenditures for an individual’s travel, food, lodging, or membership dues. These thresholds will no longer be subject to annual adjustment for changes in the consumer price index.

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Gov. Josh Green signed Senate Bill 2471 concerning the powers of corporations and certain other artificial legal entities. Beginning July 1, 2027, the bill excludes election and ballot-issue activity from the powers of corporations and other non-committee artificial legal entities organized and transacting business in Hawaii. Election and ballot-issue activity by such entities will be deemed void and result in penalties, including forfeiture of state charter privileges. The prohibition is based on the premise that artificial persons such as corporations were never intended to be imbued with the power to influence elections. The bill is conditioned on its ongoing applicability to foreign entities transacting business in the state. Hawaii is one of a number of states with measures introduced this year (e.g., Arizona Senate Concurrent Resolution 1053, Kansas House Bill 2766, Oklahoma House Joint Resolution 1075) addressing the grant of corporate powers related to election influence in the continuing wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

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Comply with state and local procurement lobbying rules. Our online guidebooks make it easy to view regulations all in one place. Learn more here.

The Oklahoma Legislature adjourned sine die on May 14. Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 2180, a bill regulating agents of foreign principals. Pursuant to the bill, a person representing, acting, or lobbying on behalf of a foreign principal to influence state and local laws must register with the secretary of state within 15 days of activity, unless an exception applies. Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the bill on May 12, and it takes effect on November 1.

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The Colorado Legislature adjourned sine die on May 13. Lawmakers passed House Bill 1422, a bill addressing security measures for certain governmental entities and modifying registration requirements for political committees. The bill specifies the address of the principal place of operations listed by a political committee or small donor committee on its registration statement may be either a street address or a mailing address. If the bill is approved by Gov. Jared Polis, this provision will take effect immediately. Legislators also passed Senate Bill 147, a bill which would require legislative liaisons, judicial lobbyists, and governor’s lobbyists to register and file disclosure statements similar to professional lobbyists. Polis has not yet acted on this bill, but his office has signaled disfavor. If approved, the bill would take effect August 12.

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The Hawaii Legislature adjourned sine die on May 8. Lawmakers passed bills related to campaign financing. Pursuant to Senate Bill 2532, political committees will be required to electronically file organizational reports, fundraiser notices, and terminations with the Campaign Spending Commission. Under Senate Bill 2247, executive branch employees who were nominated and confirmed to compensated positions with influence on procurement and contract management are prohibited from attending or participating in political fundraising activities until the employment ends.

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The Arkansas Legislature adjourned its special session on May 6. Lawmakers passed legislation cutting the individual income tax rate beginning in 2026 and the corporate tax rate beginning in 2027. This does affect lobbying reporting. A legislative lobbyist activity report will be due June 10 for the period from May 1 to May 31.

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Nebraska LB 1075: Lobbying and Campaign Finance Law Updates

Nebraska Legislative Bill 1075, signed by Gov. Jim Pillen on April 15, 2026, amends several provisions of the state’s lobbying and campaign finance laws. The bill applies late fees to lobbyist principals, tightens restrictions on foreign national contributions, updates political committee reporting requirements, and increases several fee amounts. The bill took effect upon signature.

What Does Nebraska LB 1075 Change?

LB 1075 addresses Nebraska lobbying and campaign finance compliance. Here is a breakdown of each change.

Lobbying Late Filing Fees Now Apply to Principals

Prior Nebraska law required both lobbyists and principals to submit periodic and special lobbying disclosure reports, but late filing fees applied only to lobbyists. LB 1075 closes that gap by extending late filing fees to principals as well.

The updated fee schedule is as follows:

Report Type	Previous Fee	New Fee
Quarterly statements	$25	$50
Disclosure reports (during session)	$100	$200

Stricter Foreign National Restrictions on Ballot Question Committees

LB 1075 imposes new certification and affirmation requirements on ballot question committees regarding foreign national influence.

Registration statements must now certify that no preliminary activity was funded by foreign nationals. Covered preliminary activities include:

• Conducting focus groups
• Drafting proposed language
• Making phone calls

Campaign statements filed by ballot question committees must include an affirmation that:

• No donor is a foreign national, and
• No donor has intentionally received, solicited, or accepted contributions or expenditures from foreign nationals exceeding $100,000 in aggregate in the four-year period before the contribution

Penalties: A ballot question committee that solicits, accepts, or receives a prohibited foreign national contribution, directly or indirectly, will be subject to a fine equal to the amount of the contribution or $100,000, whichever is greater.

Political Committee Contribution Reporting Updates

LB 1075 makes two practical changes to how political committees submit campaign statements and late contribution reports.

Address requirements: Committees may now list either a street address or a post office box number for named contributors. If the contributor is a committee itself, a street address is still required.

Filing methods: Late contribution reports may no longer be submitted by telegraph.

H2- Committee Fee Increases

LB 1075 adjusts several committee-related fees:

Fee Type	Previous Amount	New Amount
Committee registration	$100	$150
Delinquent registration filing fee (standard)	$25	$50
Delinquent registration filing fee (committees formed within 30 days before an election)	$100	$200
updates and delinquent report filing	$25	$50
Delinquent late  contribution reports	$100	$200

Staying Compliant with Nebraska LB 1075

The changes introduced by LB 1075 affect lobbyists, principals, and political committees operating in Nebraska. Organizations should review current filing practices, fee schedules, and any ballot question committee activity to ensure compliance.

For jurisdiction-specific guidance, State and Federal Communications maintains regularly updated online compliance guidebooks covering Nebraska and other states. Hands-on support is also available through the firm’s lobbying compliance consulting services.

FAQ’s

The Arkansas Legislature adjourned its fiscal session sine die on April 29. Lawmakers passed the state budget and appropriations bills as well as a bill increasing the homestead property tax credit. Following the session, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced a special session beginning during the week of May 4 for the purpose of tax cuts. This does affect lobbying reporting. The final monthly legislative lobbyist activity report for the fiscal session is due May 10 and the special session will trigger a legislative lobbyist activity report due June 10.

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The Nebraska Legislature adjourned its regular session sine die on April 17. Lawmakers passed Legislative Bill 1075, a bill related to campaign finance and lobbying. The bill increases committee registration fees and increases late filing fees for committee registrations, registration updates, reports, and independent expenditure reports. The bill also requires ballot question committees to include in their statements of organization a certification that no preliminary activity was directly or indirectly funded by one or more foreign nationals. The bill allows committee reports disclosing certain contributors to list a post office box address for the contributor, unless the contributor is a committee, and increases late filing fees for lobbyist and principal activity reports. The bill was passed as an emergency and takes effect immediately. This does affect lobbying reporting. An activity report is due 45 days following adjournment on June 1.

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