Informing the Legislature that on June 27, 2024, the Governor signed the following bill into law: SB2536 SD1 HD1 CD1 (ACT 113).

This bill establishes a procurement preference for Hawaii-based accounting service businesses to support local employment and economic growth. When the state purchases accounting services, non-Hawaii firms must increase their bid prices by twenty percent to compete against local providers. To qualify for this preference, a local firm must certify that at least eighty percent of its labor is performed by Hawaii residents and that its office is large enough to handle all contract work. The law also clarifies that existing reciprocity rules apply to specific sections of the state's procurement statutes.