Hawaii signed a law redefining corporations to preclude election spending, taking effect July 1, 2027, as a novel workaround to Citizens United.
Key Takeaways
The law sidesteps the 2010 Citizens United ruling by redefining what corporations are, not by directly restricting speech.
Outside political spending hit $4 billion in 2024 federal elections, nearly 12x the 2008 level; dark money alone reached a record $1.9 billion.
Hawaii AG Anne Lopez opposed the bill, citing high litigation costs and low odds of surviving federal court challenge.
The legal strategy was crafted by the Center for American Progress; Montana activists are pursuing a similar ballot measure.
Effective date is July 1, 2027, giving time for near-certain legal challenges before it operates.
Hacker News Comment Review
Thread is thin; commenters frame this as a landmark state-level move on PAC and SuperPAC money rather than engaging with the legal mechanism or litigation risk.
One commenter suggests the fix belongs in the Constitution, with a reply noting the original framers designed the system to serve propertied elites, implying structural reform is unlikely through normal channels.
