HB 1941 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Summary

Amends the requirements for productions to qualify for the Motion Picture, Digital Media, and Film Production Income Tax to include completing at least fifteen per cent of the production's principal photography within the same taxable year the production is qualifying for the film tax credit and completing or committing to complete fifteen per cent of the production's post-production in the State within the same taxable year the production is qualifying for the film tax credit or later taxable years. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Repeals 1/1/2033. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Last action Mar 19, 2026

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What changed between versions

HB1941 → HB1941_HD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was updated to reflect House District 1 amendments, primarily clarifying the rules for film tax credits. The most significant policy change allows productions to satisfy post-production requirements by committing to complete them in future years if they cannot finish 15% within the same year they qualify for the credit. The effective date for the Act was also set to July 1, 3000, while maintaining the existing repeal date of January 1, 2033.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding film production eligibility was expanded to allow deferred post-production commitments, whereas the original version required all post-production to be completed in the same year as the tax credit qualification.

ELIGIBILITY

Relaxed the requirement that 15% of post-production must occur in the same year the production qualifies for the tax credit, allowing producers to commit to completing this portion in later years if necessary.

TIMELINE

Added a specific effective date of July 1, 3000, to the Act, replacing the previous lack of a stated effective date in the main text.

TECHNICAL

Updated internal document metadata, including author names, file versions, and numerical identifiers, to reflect the House District 1 revision.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 16, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-19-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDT, WAM.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 171).

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Committee

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 422-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 3

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

10 primary · 0 co-sponsors