If you want your dog to listen to you, give your four-legged buddy a treat. Walks, pats on the head and warm praise may work, but nothing focuses their brain like treats.

If crunchy treats get your dog to listen, human treats, like campaign donations, also train your state representative, Senate and City Council member.

Start with sit, stay, fetch — and work your way up to run for office and vote this way. Reward for good behavior and you have a well-trained furry buddy or a lawmaker attuned to the scent of campaign cash.

At issue is the 2023 edition of the state Legislature, which is expected to close the doors for this term by, among other things, putting lobbyists on notice.

The reaction to the conviction and imprisonment of a former state senator and state representative, both pleading guilty to accepting bribes to influence the outcome of legislation, is resulting in a good legislative change. In total, a solid if not great package of legislative reforms was passed in the wake of the convictions.

This happened because legislative leaders vowed to do more than just a cursory tidying up of the ethics laws.

The end result may look more like a hand vac as opposed to Dyson super cleaner, but sending Senate Bill 1493 up to Gov. Josh Green for his expected approval should tilt the political landscape toward cleaner government.

The bill will impose a ban during legislative sessions and shortly before and after, on lobbyist contributions and expenditures, plus the promises of contributions.

The state Legislature is not just about making laws; for some legislators, it is also about making money.

I still remember how years ago I was standing next to a powerful Senate committee chairman, now deceased, who was reviewing the list of business and union leaders about to testify before his committee. He directed his clerk to make sure that every committee witness was sent a package of campaign fundraiser tickets. The obvious assumption being that if you want me to listen to your testimony, it is going to cost you. Happily, his soaring political ambition never matched his plunging ethics and running a Senate committee was as far as he got.

As an aside, I am 100% more concerned with office holders scheming ways to raise campaign cash while sitting in their state offices than I am about legislators having an after-hours drink on state property, despite the ongoing revelations and ensuing fuss that liquor was served in a state office.

Back to the pending legislative reform: If signed by Green, it will mean one easy source of questionably timed campaign money will be cut.

Legislators are a clever bunch, and those who want to figure out other ways to shake down the public will find ways. But as the legislation notes: “contributions during a legislative session can create the perception that the contribution is, or is intended to, influence decisions being taken on pending legislation.”

This bill removes one price tag from the Hawaii Legislature.

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays. Reach him at 808onpolitics@gmail.com.