Budget & Taxes

passed · Hawaii · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 1736: RELATING TO ANIMAL CONTROL.

Establishes the Spay and Neuter Special Fund to reduce pet overpopulation, including the free-roaming cat population, and authorizes an income tax designation to provide revenues into the special fund. Requires cats over five months of age to be surgically sterilized unless covered by an intact cat declaration, and conditions the importation of intact cats on state and county declaration requirements, with certain exceptions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates Spay and Neuter Special Fund via income tax check-off, directly appropriating tax revenues for animal control programs, aligning with funding essential services through fiscal mechanisms.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 1939: RELATING TO TAXATION.

Amends the Motion Picture, Digital Media, and Film Production Income Tax Credit (film tax credit) by providing additional credits to qualified productions that have a workforce of at least eighty per cent local hires in the first taxable year or second consecutive taxable year and meet other specific requirements, then increasing the local workforce threshold to eighty-two per cent in the third or fourth consecutive taxable year and eighty-five per cent in the fifth consecutive taxable year, that the additional credit is claimed; requiring independent third-party certification of qualified production costs for all film productions claiming the film tax credit; authorizing DBEDT to waive the credit cap per qualified production for one qualified production each fiscal year; and requiring the Hawaii Film Office to submit an annual report to the Legislature. Sunsets 1/1/2033. Effective 7/1/3050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands tax credits for film productions meeting local hiring criteria, increasing state fiscal support for economic development through targeted tax incentives.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncentivizes local hiring (80%+ workforce) for film productions via tax credits, directly promoting employment standards and local workforce opportunities.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 2528: RELATING TO PARTIAL PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS.

Increases the expenditure limit and the amount of partial public campaign financing available for all elective offices. Adjusts the minimum amount of qualifying contributions certain candidates must receive to participate in the program. Increases the matching fund payments for excess qualifying contributions. Appropriates funds for the program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates state funds for public election financing program, directly increasing budget allocation for campaign finance initiatives.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 2575: 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. Appropriates funds for a position in the Department of Taxation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesApplies standard tax rate to rental car companies' vehicle purchases and funds tax department position, strengthening tax collection and fiscal management.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 2115: RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services to issue supplemental contracts to community-based organizations to address increases in costs related to labor, insurance, utilities, rent, and gas. For any multi-year contracts entered into or renewed beginning in fiscal year 2027-2028, requires the Department of Human Services to issue a Request for Information to determine whether any existing contract remains fiscally sound and thereafter determine, with the consent of the contractor, whether a new request for proposals should be issued. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates funds to Department of Human Services for supplemental contracts addressing increased operational costs, directly supporting budget allocation for essential services.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill appropriates funds to community-based organizations addressing rising costs (labor, insurance, etc.) to maintain human services, directly supporting healthcare access and program stability.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Mar 25, 2026

SB 2442: RELATING TO PURCHASE OF SERVICE CONTRACTS BY THE JUDICIARY.

Beginning 1/1/2027, requires contracts for services awarded to community-based organizations by the Judiciary in support of fulfilling the Judiciary's statutory mandate to individuals, families, and communities in the State to include certain protections against inflation. Appropriates funds to the Judiciary to increase the contract price in existing contracts for certain services provided by community-based organizations in support of fulfilling the Judiciary's statutory mandate to individuals, families, and communities in the State. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates funds to increase contract prices for community-based services, funding essential programs under Judiciary's mandate.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 1950: RELATING TO THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.

Establishes the State-led Marketing and Branding Special Fund and requires that a portion of all transient accommodations tax revenues that would otherwise be deposited into the general fund be deposited into the special fund, to be used for state-led marketing, branding, and tourism management. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to develop and submit an annual comprehensive marketing, branding, and tourism management plan to the Legislature for approval. Effective 7/1/3050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects transient accommodations tax revenue to dedicated tourism marketing fund, advancing fiscal allocation for tourism management per bill's explicit funding mechanism.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 2411: RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM.

Establishes and appropriates funds into and out of the Hawaii Employer-Led Sector Partnerships Special Fund. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to coordinate its sector partnership activities with the Workforce Development Council. Effective 7/1/3050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes and appropriates funds into a special fund for sector partnerships, directly allocating state budget resources to economic development programs.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes funding for employer-led sector partnerships coordinating with Workforce Development Council, advancing workforce development initiatives per bill summary.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 2590: RELATING TO TAXATION.

Imposes the manufacturing general excise tax rate on motion picture, digital media, and film productions and repeals the provision in the definition of "qualified production costs" that applied the term to mean costs incurred that are subject to the highest general excise tax rate. Exempts from the general excise tax certain amounts received by a motion picture project employer from a client company equal to amounts that are disbursed by the motion picture project employer for employee wages, salaries, payroll taxes, insurance premiums, and employment benefits and payments to loan-out companies. Requires persons making payment to a loan-out company and claiming the Motion Picture, Digital Media, and Film Production Income Tax Credit to deduct and withhold an amount exceeding the amount actually due for all payments made to the loan-out company for services performed in the State. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Effective 7/1/3050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax exemption for film production wages, directly altering tax policy to reduce burden on industry per bill's exemption provision.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 2595: RELATING TO REGIONAL AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION.

Establishes the Regional Agricultural Feasibility and Food Systems Production Studies Working Group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to provide coordinated, region‑specific agricultural production and crop feasibility analysis across the State. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Repeals 6/30/2028. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates funds for the Regional Agricultural Feasibility Working Group, directly allocating state budget resources to fund this program.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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