The 2025 Hawaii Legislature began its 60-day session on Wednesday, and the public must see good-government reforms that should have been enacted years ago.

For too long, the state’s lawmaking processes have been too secretive and insider-driven. Even avid followers of major bills and issues can be blindsided at the eleventh hour, due to an opaque system that allows in-the-know lobbyists to sway bills, and legislation that must funnel through the most powerful legislative committees — and their committee chairs — for wheeling and dealing.

Many entrenched, self-interested legislators might talk a good game when it comes to transparency and good government, but reform has been slow in coming. This year, the public — meaning the constituents of elected officials — must bring pressure to bear in favor of improvements proposed by a coalition of 19 mainly community organizations. The package, backed by a 1,600-signature petition given to House and Senate lawmakers, seeks five rule changes to legislative procedures and five new laws. All have merit, particularly in light of corruption scandals in recent years that have eroded public trust in government.

The proposed procedural changes would indeed bring needed improvements, accountability and transparency. Unfortunately, separate sets of internal rules guide each of the two chambers’ workings — so the uneven policies can also befuddle taxpayers. Still, both chambers are urged to change the way they do business, for the public good, by:

>> Requiring committees to take public votes on all bills before them, to disallow quiet deferrals.

>> Posting for public review all written testimony on a bill at least 22 hours before its hearing.

>> Requiring all committee members to have a bill’s draft amendments before actually voting on that version.

>> Having non-fiscal bills bypass the powerful money committees, House Finance and Senate Ways and Means.

>> Having term limits on committee chair and leadership positions.

Over the past two elections, 27 new members have joined the House, which bodes well for new blood and new thinking.

Strides were made over the last couple of years, spurred by the arrests — then convictions — of two legislators for corruption: then-Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English and Rep. Ty Cullen were disgraced in a wastewater-legislation bribery scandal. That led the House to empanel the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct in 2022, which proposed 31 recommendations for “clean government” reform.

Laudably, some headway was made, but unfinished business remains.

One notable case in point: While lawmakers did pass a law prohibiting legislators from holding organized fundraisers during legislative sessions, campaign contributions are still allowed during this period. That’s shameful, since donations can still be given and accepted while lawmakers actively deliberate and decide new laws and policies. In 2023, the House unanimously passed a bill to ban acceptance of all campaign contributions during sessions, but it was not heard by the Senate. Passage of such a ban is business that must be finished this time.

Other law changes that deserve support, and now being advocated by the good-government coalition: Automatic voter registration, more funding for the state Campaign Spending Commission, publicly financed elections, banning candidates from transferring campaign donations to other candidates, and banning campaign donations made by government contractors and immediate family members.

On a positive note, two new clean-government laws were ushered in with the new year.

>> Act 8 requires lobbyists to include much more detail in their disclosure reports — such as spending on media and advertising, gifts and meals — as well as specifying bill numbers or other actions they lobby on.

>> Act 123 requires lawmakers to reveal the names of lobbyists with whom they have a relationship — spouses, business partners and employers, for example — as well as lobbyist clients who’ve paid a legislator at least $5,000.

In her opening-day speech Wednesday, new House Speaker Nadine Nakamura lauded the “new energy and fresh perspectives” offered by freshman legislators and leadership. Let’s see that this extends to a more transparent and accountable government.