Hawaii lawmakers raised nearly a half million for their reelection campaign treasuries in 2011, often by holding fundraisers while the Legislature was in session. And judging by the number of candidates who held fundraisers during this year’s session, it looks like it’ll be even more this year.

Nearly twice as many state House and Senate members — 45 of them — held in-session fundraisers this year compared to last. But we won’t know how much they raised at those events until July 12, when the next batch of campaign finance reports is due. As a starting point, Civil Beat looked at what happened in the 2011 session.

For a handful of lawmakers, money raised during the session made up the majority of their campaign cash for the year. Two lawmakers raised money exclusively during session.

Civil Beat has been tracking the money flowing to candidates for the 2012 elections in several ways. In-session fundraising raises conflict of interest concerns because votes could appear to have been influenced by donations.

During the 2011 session, 58 sitting state lawmakers raked in 997 contributions adding up to nearly $443,000, according to Civil Beat analysis of reports filed with the Campaign Spending Commission last year.

Records show that 25 lawmakers held fundraisers during the legislative session, which began January 19 and ended May 5.

There have been periodic attempts to restrict fundraising during session. In January, Sens. Les Ihara and Suzanne Chun Oakland co-introduced a bill that would have prohibited the practice.

The primary purpose of Senate Bill 2561 was to enhance the public’s confidence in policymaking, but it never got a hearing. More than two dozen states already restrict their lawmakers from accepting contributions during legislative sessions.

“My fundamental concern is conflict of interest,” said Ihara. “There are a lot of public trust concerns about legislators who have to make a decision and their major donors are sitting right in front of them.”

In-Session Fundraisers

Hawaii’s current Legislature consists of 76 members — 25 senators and 51 representatives. All 25 senators are running for reelection. In the House, all but two — Reps. Jerry Chang and Barbara Marumoto — are also running again for office. (Reps. Joey Manahan and Kymberly Pine are running for City Council.)

Twenty-five legislators collected at least half of all their 2011 contributions during the legislative session.

Two House representatives — Pearl City’s Rep. Roy Takumi and Waipahu and Ewa’s Rep. Rida Cabanilla — drew in 100 percent of their donations during the session. But donations to each totaled less than $6,000.

Both Sens. Maile Shimabukuro and Donna Mercado Kim received about 78 percent of their 2011 donations while in session. Shimabukuro, who represents several neighborhoods in western Oahu, raised about $10,900 during session. Mercado Kim, who received 62 donations totaling $27,000 while in session, represents the district that includes Aiea, Halawa Valley and Kalihi.

Sen. Clayton Hee, who represents Kahuku, Laie, Kaaawa and Kaneohe, was the largest recipient of in-session campaign cash last year. Over the course of the session, he received 111 donations totaling $49,800 — 71 of which came on or just after his April 27 fundraiser. Those contributions amounted to $31,300.

Sen. Josh Green, whose district includes Kohala and South Kona on the Big Island, also pulled in some hefty donations during the 2011 legislative session. He received 65 donations totaling $45,650 after hosting two fundraisers — one in February, one in April. Each event sought suggested contributions of $500 per person.

Kauai and Niihau’s Sen. Ron Kouchi pulled in 29 contributions amounting to $26,850 during session.

Sen. Brickwood Galuteria, who represents the Downtown, Kakaako and Waikiki district, received 45 donations adding up to $35,050 — or 86 percent of his total haul for 2011. He collected all of those contributions on May 4, 2011 — two days after his fundraiser and a day before the year’s legislative session came to a close.

Galuteria says that the benefit to holding a fundraiser while the Legislature is still in session is that every state lawmaker is still under one roof.

“My colleagues are around and we can support each other,” he said. “There’s no hidden effect.”

When asked whether he thinks in-session fundraisers pose any conflict of interest issues, Galuteria said that lobbyist support doesn’t always have to influence legislative decision-making.

“There will always be that inference,” he said. “Because lobbyists have the ability to support you doesn’t mean that you’ll be obligated to vote in their way. That’s not how we do business. I don’t want to imply that I’m in any way indebted to them. In our profession, we’re almost guilty until proven innocent…it’s hard when there are these inferences.”