Definitions
HRS §97-1
in effect97-1. Definitions
When used in this chapter:
"Administrative action" means the
proposal, drafting, consideration, amendment, enactment, or defeat by any
administrative agency of any rule or other action governed by section 91-3.
"Administrative agency" means a
commission, board, agency, or other body, or official in the state government
that is not a part of the legislative or judicial branch.
"Contribution" includes a gift,
subscription, forgiveness of a loan, advance, or deposit of money, or anything
of value and includes a contract, promise, or agreement, whether or not
enforceable, to make a contribution.
"Expenditure" includes a payment,
distribution, forgiveness of a loan, advance, deposit, or gift of money, or
anything of value and includes a contract, promise, or agreement, whether or
not enforceable, to make an expenditure. "Expenditure" also includes
compensation or other consideration paid to a lobbyist for the performance of
lobbying services. "Expenditure" excludes any amounts expended:
(1) For intrastate travel costs, including incidental
meals and lodging; provided that this exception does not apply to any amounts
expended for the travel costs of state legislators, board and commission
members, or any other employees of the State; or
(2) By a nonprofit organization to prepare and submit
an application for a grant pursuant to chapter 42F, and for each of the
nonprofit organization's employees to lobby a maximum of ten hours in a month
for that application.
"Legislative action" means the
sponsorship, drafting, introduction, consideration, modification, enactment, or
defeat of any bill, resolution, amendment, report, nomination, appointment, or
any other matter pending or proposed in the legislature.
"Lobbying" means communicating
directly or through an agent, or soliciting others to communicate, with any
official in the legislative or executive branch, for the purpose of attempting
to influence legislative or administrative action or a ballot issue.
"Lobbying" shall not include the preparation and submission of a
grant application pursuant to chapter 42F by a representative of a nonprofit
organization.
"Lobbyist" means any individual who:
(1) Receives or expects to receive, either by
employment or contract, $1,000 or more in monetary or in-kind compensation in
any calendar year for engaging in lobbying, either personally or through the
lobbyist's agents; or
(2) For pay or other consideration, on behalf of
another person:
(A) Engages in lobbying in excess of five
hours in any month of any reporting period described in section 97-3;
(B) Engages in lobbying in excess of ten
hours during any calendar year; or
(C) Makes expenditures of $1,000 or more of
the person's or any other person's money lobbying during any reporting period
described in section 97-3;
provided that an employee of a nonprofit
organization who spends fewer than ten hours in any month lobbying on a grant
application submitted pursuant to chapter 42F is not a lobbyist if the employee
does not engage in lobbying on matters that are unrelated to the grant
application.
"Person" means a corporation,
individual, union, association, firm, sole proprietorship, partnership,
committee, club, or any other organization or a representative of a group of
persons acting in concert.
[L 1975, c 160, pt of §1; am L 1980, c 129, §1(a);
am L 1982, c 105, §1; am L 1989, c 225, §1; am L 1995, c 220, §5; am L 2017, c
51, §2]
Source: Hawaii State Legislature (capitol.hawaii.gov), via Internet Archive capturesURL: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol02_Ch0046-0115/HRS0097/HRS_0097-0001.htmFetched: 11/10/2026