UPDATED 12/21/11 6 p.m.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Hawaii State Democratic Women’s Caucus one of the three super PACs registered with the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission. The correct super PAC is the Kauai Women’s Caucus. Since this story was originally published, the commission has started to list such political committees on its website.

Campaigns for next year’s elections are getting under way and Hawaii is already seeing the formation of special political committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of campaign money.

Three “independent-expenditure-only” noncandidate committees have been formed as recently as last month — two are Honolulu-based, the other lists a Miramar, Florida address.

The so-called super political action committees, or Super PACs, can support or attack candidates through advertising, mailings and other means so long as they operate independently of those campaigns.

The 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United now allows corporations and unions to mount independent expenditure campaigns, too.

“A person may contribute an … unlimited amount to noncandidate committees making solely independent expenditures,” according to the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission’s 2012 “Guidebook for Noncandidate Committees”.

It goes on to define an independent expenditure:

“Independent expenditure” means an expenditure by a person expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate that is not made in concert or cooperation with or at the request or suggestion of the candidate, the candidate committee, a party, or their agents.”

Direct contributions from corporations or unions to candidate campaigns or political parties is banned at the state and federal level.

Hawaii Solutions

Two former leaders of the Hawaii Republican Party are behind Hawaii Solutions, one of the three independent-expenditure committees registered so far with the state’s Campaign Spending Commission.

Dylan Nonaka, the party’s former executive director, is strategy director, while former party chairman Sam Aiona is listed as chairman of the committee.

Nonaka told Civil Beat the committee will focus on state races next year, but declined to specify which ones.

“We probably won’t know until later on next year,” he said, noting that the group will evaluate the “winability factor” of candidates.

The Hawaii Solutions website says it “seeks to bring common sense to Hawaii’s political system by educating and motivating its citizens towards participation in the election process. We identify and support candidates for office who will fight for solutions to Hawaii’s problems.”

Nonaka said the committee “hopes to be another voice to help inform voters about the issues and candidates in the races. We’re just looking to add our voice to the conversation and be an outlet for people who want to have an impact.”

He said the committee hopes to be a grassroots effort and take advantage of social media to get their message out.

“Initially, money’s going to come form a lot of personal friends of myself and the board of directors,” he said. “We’ll have to help lead the cause, and as time goes on, we’re looking to be a grassroots effort. I’d also like to have a large base of donors so that we’re not beholden to a small group.”

UPDATED

Kauai Women’s Caucus¹

Kauai businesswoman Mary Gross has registered the Kauai Women’s Caucus as an independent-expenditure-only noncandidate committee. The filing form lists the Hyatt Regency Kauai as her principal place of business.

Janice Bond, a retired teacher, is listed as treasurer.

Automated HealthCare Solutions

Automated Health Care Solutions, a Florida-based health-care IT company, registered an independent-expenditure committee of the same name.

The company’s chief operating officer, Sean Duffy, is listed as chairperson of the committee. Duffy did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The company’s website says it owns a proprietary medical technology platform that handles such things as inventory management, automated claims management and customer relationship management.

Earlier this year, the company testified against a bill before the Hawaii Legislature that would have regulated markups on repackaged prescription drugs.

The bill, which ultimately stalled but could be revived next year, would have “helped to contain unreasonable increases of prescription drug costs in Hawaii’s workers’ compensation insurance system as repackagers expand into states, including Hawaii, where repackaged drug and compound medication costs are not currently regulated.”