Budget & Taxes

passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 345: RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCING.

Increases 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 and staff. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates funds for public campaign financing program, increasing budget allocation for campaign finance administration and matching payments.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1405: RELATING TO HOUSING.

Exempts any development of homestead lots or housing for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from general excise and use taxes. Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to submit annual reports to the Legislature over a period of five years. (SD1)

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesExempts DHHL housing from taxes, reducing state revenue and weakening fiscal management.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingExempts DHHL housing from taxes, reducing development costs to advance affordable housing for Native Hawaiians.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1130: RELATING TO THE GENERAL EXCISE TAX.

Exempts from the state general excise tax the sales and gross proceeds from sales of construction rebuilding materials for residential and commercial properties in federally declared disaster areas. Applies only to rebuilding materials purchased between 7/1/2025 and 12/31/2028. Requires a third party to issue the certification for projects qualifying for the exemption for disaster construction rebuilding materials. Sunsets on 12/31/2028. Effective 1/1/2026. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts disaster rebuilding materials from state tax, providing targeted tax relief for recovery efforts in federally declared disaster areas.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1480: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Authorizes for a county to impose a mileage-based road usage charge. Provides for disposition of funds of county mileage-based road usage charge. Clarifies the disposition of funds of state mileage-based road usage charge. Repeals the maximum amount a driver will pay in a state mileage-based road usage charge on June 30, 2028. Establishes a default state mileage-based road usage charge rate when missing, incomplete, or incorrect odometer reading information that will prevent the state mileage-based road usage charge from being calculated. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes mileage-based road usage charge as new revenue source for transportation funding, directly impacting tax collection and appropriations under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationAuthorizes county/state mileage-based road usage charges to fund transportation infrastructure, clarifies fund disposition, and repeals payment caps - directly advancing transportation funding mechanisms.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 530: RELATING TO BRAILLE LITERACY.

Establishes Braille literacy as a policy of the State. Requires literacy assessments for eligible low vision and blind students to include Braille instruction and the use of Braille. Authorizes the Department of Education to adopt administrative rules. Establishes the Braille Literacy Resource Center. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates funds for Braille Literacy Resource Center and Braille instruction, directly funding an educational program per budget policy.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates Braille literacy in assessments for low vision/blind students, establishes a Resource Center, and appropriates funds to advance educational access for visually impaired students.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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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 No ✗ Opposes 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 both · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 925: RELATING TO THE ARTS.

Establishes a Performing Arts Special Fund to be used for the coordination, planning, promotion, marketing, and execution of performing arts events and to be funded by a percentage of all ticket sales from concerts held at state venues. Establishes exemptions. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates dedicated fund (Performing Arts Special Fund) using venue ticket sales revenue, directly allocating state budget resources to arts programming.90% 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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