Budget & Taxes

passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1553: RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS.

Appropriates moneys from the Act 279 Special Fund for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to purchase a parcel of land identified as tax map key: (1) 9-1-013-025. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates Act 279 Special Fund moneys for DHHL land purchase, advancing budgeted program funding under appropriations.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1543: RELATING TO GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY.

Requires each purchasing agency to provide justification for hiring external consultants. Caps the amount each agency can spend on external consultants. Requires each agency to seek approval from the Legislature for consulting contracts exceeding a certain dollar amount. Requires each agency to disclose new contracts with external consultants. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Requires the Compliance Audit Unit to conduct regular audits of agency consultant contracts to assess cost-effectiveness and compliance. Requires each chief procurement officer to ensure that inherent government functions are not delegated to a contractor. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD2)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes spending caps, audit requirements, and disclosure on consultant contracts to enhance fiscal accountability and control government spending, aligning with fiscal responsibility indicators.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1610: RELATING TO OHANA ZONES.

Establishes the Ohana Zones Program as a program within the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions. Authorizes the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to exempt ohana zones projects from general excise taxes. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts housing projects from general excise taxes (tax relief) and appropriates funds for the Ohana Zones Program, supporting housing initiatives through fiscal policy.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingEstablishes Ohana Zones Program under homelessness/housing office, exempts projects from taxes, appropriates funds - directly advances affordable housing development and homelessness solutions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1043: RELATING TO TAXATION.

SB 1043 reduces the general excise tax rate on nonprescription drugs by 50%. This change directly affects consumers who purchase nonprescription medications, lowering their out-of-pocket costs. The bill's key provision is halving the existing tax rate, effective July 1, 3000. It does not alter other tax rates or create new government programs. The bill passed a committee recommendation with four supportive votes in February 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReduces excise tax on nonprescription drugs, providing direct tax relief to consumers, aligning with support indicators for tax relief.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareReduces excise tax on nonprescription drugs, lowering consumer costs and improving access to essential healthcare services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 527: RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Appropriates funds for the establishment of five full-time equivalent (5.0 FTE) positions within the Civil Rights Compliance Branch of the Department of Education. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates funds for 5 FTE civil rights positions in DOE, directly advancing public service funding within budget allocations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates funds for civil rights equity specialists in DOE, advancing educational equity and compliance within education system.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1395: RELATING TO STATE FUNDS.

Allocates interest earned on balances within the emergency and budget reserve fund to the general fund in years in which the emergency and budget reserve fund's balance exceeds the State's fund balance objective. For any fiscal year following a fiscal year in which emergency and budget reserve fund interest is deposited into the general fund, requires the Governor to include in the budget or supplemental budget submitted to the Legislature a request that an amount of general funds equal to the amount of interest deposited be expended to advance projects that address climate change impacts. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill reallocates interest earnings from reserve fund to general fund, increasing available state funds for budget purposes without new taxes, promoting fiscal responsibility.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 51: RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCING FOR CANDIDATES TO ELECTED OFFICE.

Establishes a comprehensive system of public financing for all candidates seeking election to state and county public offices in the State of Hawaii, to begin with the 2028 general election year. Requires the Campaign Spending Commission to submit reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates state funds for public financing of candidates, directly funding a new government program under appropriations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1487: RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII REVENUE BONDS.

Authorizes the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii to issue revenue bonds for the purpose of financing qualifying priority capital improvement projects. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill authorizes revenue bonds and appropriates funds for UH capital projects, directly advancing budget allocation for public infrastructure under Appropriations ($).95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAuthorizes UH revenue bonds for capital improvement projects, directly funding higher education infrastructure at University of Hawaii.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 327: RELATING TO INTERNSHIPS.

Permits the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to enter into contracts with eligible employers or registered apprenticeship programs in the private sector to provide on-the-job training to eligible interns. Provides that the State shall be the responsible employer for purposes of workers' compensation coverage for students or recent graduates in the on-the-job-training work experience program, subject to certain limitations. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates state funds for internship program, directly allocating budget resources to fund workforce development initiative per bill's explicit language.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEnsures workers' compensation coverage for interns via state responsibility, strengthening workplace safety protections and funding workforce development programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1379: RELATING TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

Establishes the Community Readiness Centers Program to be implemented and administered by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. Establishes the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund to fund the Community Readiness Centers Program. Renames the Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax to the Environmental Response, Energy, Food Security, and Resilience Tax and directs a portion of the tax into the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates moneys to acquire lands for community readiness centers and for an emergency operations center. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects portion of existing tax revenue to fund Community Readiness Centers Special Fund, explicitly allocating tax dollars toward emergency preparedness program.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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