The Hawaii Ethics Commission has released a plan for a formal fine “schedule,” akin to the traffic fine system using a standardized, laddered format of increasing fines for more serious violations. The fines would apply to elected officials and public employees who violate ethics rules, such as promoting a business or candidate on state time.

A process to dispute alleged violations will continue, but this schedule would formalize certain fines and streamline the process of resolving penalties when violations are not contested. To take effect, the state Legislature will need to pass a bill establishing the new system.