Budget & Taxes

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Jan 30, 2026

SB 3005: RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

Requires the Hawaii Community Development Authority to establish a Community Action Center in Chinatown. Expenditure contingent upon the City and County of Honolulu providing matching funds. Appropriation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates funds for a Community Action Center, directly funding a public service initiative through budget allocation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Government Spending

Track

passed both · Hawaii · Senate May 1, 2026

SB 2601: RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Amends criminal penalties under the Hawaii Public Procurement Code by providing that a person who intentionally violates the code is subject to prosecution for a misdemeanor in cases of egregious violations of the Code. Ensures that awarded contracts are supported by sufficient appropriations by requiring a contract amount that exceeds fifteen per cent of the amount of the appropriation or balance of an appropriation to be approved by the Chief Procurement Officer to become binding. Establishes positions within the State Procurement Office. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill enforces fiscal responsibility by capping contract spending at 10% of available appropriations, preventing budget overruns and ensuring funds are properly allocated.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Procurement

Track

passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 118: RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION.

SB 118 establishes a new investigator position within the Campaign Spending Commission and allocates funding for this role. The bill directly affects the Commission by adding staff capacity to oversee campaign finance compliance. Key provisions include creating the position and appropriating necessary funds, with the changes taking effect on April 23, 2057. This is a procedural bill focused on strengthening the Commission's operational structure, not on altering campaign finance rules for candidates or voters.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates funding for new investigator position within Campaign Spending Commission, directly increasing operational budget under appropriations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 863: RELATING TO EDUCATION.

HB 863 allocates state funds to the Department of Education specifically for teacher-requested classroom supplies, such as books, art materials, or technology. This bill directly affects public school teachers and students in K-12 classrooms, as it provides resources based on educators' identified needs. The key mechanism is a direct appropriation of funds, requiring the Department of Education to distribute these resources to schools upon request. The bill takes effect on July 1, 3000, as stated in the official abstract. It passed committee with amendments in February 2025, moving forward in the legislative process.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesDirectly appropriates state funds for K-12 classroom supplies, increasing education budget allocation.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates state funds for teacher-requested classroom supplies (books, tech, art), directly supporting K-12 educators and students' resource needs.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly allocates state funds for teacher-requested technology supplies in K-12 classrooms, directly advancing educational technology access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Curriculum K-12 Education Teachers

Track

passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1495: RELATING TO HEARING AIDS.

Exempts from the general excise tax, gross receipts received by a hospital, infirmary, medical clinic, health care facility, pharmacy, or a practitioner licensed to administer drugs to an individual, from the sale of hearing aids. Effective 12/31/2050. Sunsets 1/1/2027. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts hearing aid sales from general excise tax, providing tax relief for healthcare providers.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts hearing aids from tax, reducing patient costs and improving access to a medical device, aligning with healthcare access support.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Hospitals Prescription Drugs Primary Care

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Jan 26, 2026

HB 1674: RELATING TO FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT.

Extends child care subsidies to disabled parents or guardians, regardless of their employment status. Requires the Department of Human Services to evaluate caregiver capacity and dependent-care responsibilities when determining eligibility for medicaid home- and community-based services. Requires the Department of Human Services to update its evaluation form and functional assessment protocols related to level of care and at-risk needs determinations. Appropriates funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates funds for caregiver support programs, aligning with funding essential services under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends Medicaid HCBS eligibility criteria and funds caregiver assessments to improve access to long-term care services, directly strengthening healthcare program access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Tags People with Disabilities

Track

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 3129: MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.

Provides an emergency appropriation to the Department of Human Services to replace general fund appropriations redirected to provide emergency food assistance during the 2025 federal government shutdown.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides emergency appropriation to fund Hawaii Emergency Food Assistance Program, replacing redirected funds to maintain essential public service funding during federal shutdown.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

Track

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 2785: RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Appropriates funds for Department of Hawaiian Home Lands projects eligible for general fund revenues that are generated by increases in transient accommodations tax collections and intended to be expended equally across projects related to natural resources, climate resilience, and destination management.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates tax revenue from transient accommodations to fund DHHL projects in natural resources, climate resilience, and destination management, directly advancing budget allocation and tax revenue utilization.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill allocates funds for projects focused on natural resources and climate resilience, directly advancing environmental protection through targeted funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

Track

passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 1590: RELATING TO VACATION RENTALS.

Part I: Allows counties to use time-stamped screenshots as evidence for the enforcement of transient accommodations. Requires the Hawaii Tourism Authority's plans, practices, and efforts involving destination management to include promotion of use of traditional or lawful transient accommodations. Clarifies that the counties may use revenue from the County Transient Accommodations Tax for the enforcement of transient accommodations. Appropriates funds. Part II: Requires hosting platforms that earn service fees for providing booking services for transient accommodations to register with the Department of Taxation as tax collection agents and report, collect, and remit general excise and transient accommodations taxes on behalf of operators. Part II effective 1/1/2027. Effective 7/1/3050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates tax data reporting and fines for vacation rentals, enforcing collection of transient accommodations tax to bolster county revenue streams.92% confidence

Track

signed · Hawaii · House Jul 10, 2026

HB 2452: RELATING TO STATE BONDS.

Authorizes issuance of general obligation bonds. Makes findings required by Article VII, Section 13, of the Hawaii State Constitution to declare that the issuance of authorized bonds will not cause the debt limit to be exceeded. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes state bonds within constitutional debt limits, promoting responsible fiscal management and budgetary planning for infrastructure projects.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Debt & Bonds State Budget