Budget & Taxes

passed · Hawaii · House Mar 10, 2026

HB 2156: RELATING TO TAXATION.

HB 2156 would raise the income or transaction thresholds that require businesses to file two specific taxes: the General Excise Tax (applied to most business activities) and the Transient Accommodations Tax (for short-term rentals like hotels or vacation homes). Businesses currently obligated to file below the new, higher thresholds would no longer need to file if their annual activity remains under the increased limit. This change directly affects small businesses and short-term rental operators who currently meet the lower filing requirements. The bill is pending committee referral as of January 2026, with no specific dollar amounts provided in the abstract.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRaises tax filing thresholds for small businesses, reducing compliance burden and providing tax relief per bill's focus on General Excise and Transient Accommodations Taxes.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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in committee · Hawaii · House Mar 3, 2026

HB 2337: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Removes county-specific expenditure restrictions for funds in the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund. Requires unencumbered and unexpended revenues from the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund in excess of a certain amount as of June 30 of each year to lapse to the general fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires unspent special fund revenues to lapse to general fund, promoting fiscal responsibility by preventing idle funds and making money available for broader budget use.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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in committee · Hawaii · House Mar 2, 2026

HB 1868: RELATING TO HOUSING.

Establishes a working group to revise the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation's Qualified Allocation Plan and propose revisions to the prioritization of the Rental Housing Revolving Fund and the terms of loans made from the Rental Housing Revolving Fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates funds for housing finance revisions, reports, and LIHTC management, directly funding housing affordability programs under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill establishes Working Group to revise housing fund allocation, prioritizes Rental Housing Revolving Fund, appropriates funds, and requires revisions to advance affordable housing programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 23, 2026

HB 1602: RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

HB 1602 allocates funds to create one full-time staff position within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. The bill establishes a grant specialist role focused on administering grant programs. This funding directly affects the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity staff, enabling them to manage grant-related work. The bill is procedural, specifically authorizing budget resources for a new position, with no broader policy changes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates funds for a new grant specialist position in Agriculture Department, directly supporting budget appropriations for departmental operations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 1937: RELATING TO TAXES.

Excludes the sale of a motor vehicle to a lessor of rental motor vehicles for use as a rental motor vehicle as a sale at wholesale. Imposes the maximum allowable excise tax on the use of tangible personal property in the State for the importation or purchase of a motor vehicle by a lessor of rental motor vehicles for use as a rental motor vehicle. Establishes a Teacher Temporary Hazard Pay Special Fund to pay a temporary hazard pay bonus to certain eligible teachers. Beginning 7/1/2026 until 7/1/2030, deposits the additional tax revenue generated by this Act into the Teacher Temporary Hazard Pay Special Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. Sunsets 7/1/2030. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes max excise tax on rental vehicle purchases (securing revenue) and creates Teacher Hazard Pay Fund (funding public education).90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes Teacher Temporary Hazard Pay Special Fund for teacher bonuses, directly supporting educator compensation and retention.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 2056: MAKING APPROPRIATIONS TO THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Housing and Land Management and Department of Design and Construction of the City and County of Honolulu as grants‑in-aid to comply with the requirements of Act 206, SLH 2017, and Act 210, SLH 2018. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates funds to housing/construction departments for compliance with prior laws, advancing public service funding through budget allocation.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingAllocates funds to DLM for compliance with housing acts (206/210 SLH 2017/2018), directly advancing housing programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 2057: MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU.

Appropriates moneys as a grant-in-aid to the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Information Technology to upgrade the driver's license and motor vehicle application systems, subject to a dollar-for-dollar match. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates state funds via grant-in-aid to Honolulu IT for DMV system upgrade, directly allocating budget resources for government service enhancement.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyFunds IT system upgrade for DMV operations, directly supporting technology infrastructure through appropriation.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationFunds DMV system upgrade for vehicle registration/licensing, directly supporting transportation infrastructure management.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 2002: RELATING TO NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY.

Establishes and appropriates funds for the Neighborhood Security Watch Grant Program to help fund certain activities and rental payments of established neighborhood security watch groups and neighborhood citizen patrol groups that rent government-owned facilities for a fee to carry out their duties. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates state funds for neighborhood security grant program, directly allocating budget resources to fund community safety initiatives.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 2410: RELATING TO THE HAWAII TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

HB 2410 allocates state funds to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) to support its existing programs. The bill provides financial resources for HTDC's current initiatives but does not create new policies or directly affect specific businesses or residents. It was introduced on January 27, 2026, and referred to the Economic Development and Finance committees for review. This is a funding measure, not a substantive policy change.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates state funds to HTDC for existing programs, directly supporting budget appropriations without policy changes.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAllocates state funds to HTDC for existing tech development programs, aligning with funding as a support indicator without new policy changes.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 2586: RELATING TO TAXATION.

Applies the retail or higher general excise tax or use tax rate to purchases or imports of new motor vehicles by rental car companies and requires the revenue to be deposited into the Hawaiian Home Lands Special Fund. Establishes the Hawaiian Home Lands Special Fund. Appropriates funds for a position in the Department of Taxation. Appropriates funds out of the Hawaiian Home Lands Special Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesApplies higher tax rate to rental car companies and appropriates funds for Taxation Dept and DHHL, supporting fiscal management and essential programs.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingAppropriates funds to DHHL to address housing beneficiary waiting list, directly funding a housing program for Native Hawaiians.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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