HB 2118 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM.

Summary

Transfers the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission from the Department of Accounting and General Services to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Transfers certain authority and responsibilities held by the Comptroller regarding the Works of Art Special Fund to the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Appropriates funds for positions within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Effective 1/1/3000. (SD1)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Last action Mar 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB2118_HD2 → HB2118_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill transfers administrative authority and responsibilities for the Works of Art Special Fund from the Comptroller to the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. It also adjusts the bill's effective date from July 1, 3000, to January 1, 3000, and redefines the commission's focus to emphasize Native Hawaiian culture. Additionally, the bill appropriates funds for new temporary administrative and legislative coordinator positions to manage this transition.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from being administered by the Comptroller to being administered by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, while also broadening the cultural focus of the commission to specifically include Native Hawaiian culture.

ENFORCEMENT

Transferred authority and responsibilities for the Works of Art Special Fund from the Comptroller to the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from July 1, 3000, to January 1, 3000.

DEFINITION

Updated the commission's mission to explicitly include knowledge of Native Hawaiian culture, history, and protocols.

FISCAL

Appropriated funds for a temporary administrator position to assist with the transfer of functions to the new department.

Appropriated funds for a legislative coordinator position to support the state foundation during the transition.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from WLA/EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3366) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Lamosao, DeCorte.

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Fukunaga; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kim, Fevella.

upper

Mar 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WLA/EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 1:15PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to WLA/EDT, WAM.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 362).

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0).

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Committee

Reported from ECD/LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 411-26), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Reyes Oda.

lower

Feb 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Holt.

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Committee

Reported from CAA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 32-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to ECD/LAB.

lower

Feb 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on CAA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Kapela, Kong, Garrett, Lee, M., Sayama, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to CAA, ECD/LAB, FIN, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

9 primary · 0 co-sponsors