HB 1407 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

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

Summary

Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to establish a Chamber of Commerce Competitive Grant Program. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB1407 → HB1407_HD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to change the grant program from a standard 'grant program' to a 'competitive grant program' with stricter eligibility requirements and a mandatory matching fund contribution. The Department must now verify that chambers of commerce have raised at least one-fifth of the requested grant amount themselves and must provide a $1 match for every $5 received. Additionally, the effective date was changed to July 1, 3000, likely as a placeholder for future legislative action.

Scope change

The scope shifted from a general grant program to a competitive program with specific matching fund requirements and exemptions from certain chapter 42F qualifying standards.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement that applicants must have raised at least one-fifth of the requested grant amount themselves before applying.

Added a mandatory matching fund provision requiring chambers to provide $1 for every $5 of grant funds received.

DEFINITION

Changed the program title from 'chamber of commerce grant program' to 'chamber of commerce competitive grant program' and updated the purpose to include serving a public purpose and supporting workforce transitions.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 3000, indicating the bill is currently in a placeholder or future-dated state.

EXEMPTIONS

Added an exemption stating that qualifying standards and conditions from Chapter 42F do not apply to funds received under this specific competitive grant program.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 495) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Templo, Todd, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Tam.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

7 primary · 0 co-sponsors