HB 1494 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO SPORTS FACILITIES.

Summary

Requires conditions placed on appropriations to the Stadium Development Special Fund to be met before expenditure. Restricts private donations to the Stadium Authority to use on stadium infrastructure and stadium development costs. Appropriates funds out of the Stadium Development Special Fund, subject to the completion of specific project readiness conditions. Requires certain moneys expended to be from private sources. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Apr 17, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1494_HD3 → HB1494_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from a House version that proposed lapping existing stadium funds and issuing new bonds to a Senate version that appropriates money from a special fund only after specific project milestones are met. The Senate version also adds a requirement that private donations must be used strictly for stadium infrastructure and ensures unspent funds return to the general fund if the project is terminated.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from authorizing new debt and renaming the authority to focusing on conditional appropriations and strict usage rules for existing funds.

FISCAL

Removed provisions that would lapse existing appropriation balances and authorize the issuance of new general obligation bonds for stadium construction.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that all legislative conditions on appropriations must be satisfied before any funds can be spent from the special fund.

Added a restriction requiring that any private gifts or grants be used exclusively for stadium infrastructure and development costs.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a safeguard to immediately return any unspent and unencumbered funds to the general fund if the project is terminated.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from July 1, 3000, to July 1, 2050.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 17, 2026

Committee

Re-Referred to EDT/EDU, WAM.

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 773) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-02-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Mar 19, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDT/HRE (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1176) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HRE recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HRE were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, Hashimoto; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga, Fevella.

upper

Mar 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Kim; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT/HRE has scheduled a public hearing on 03-13-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDT/HRE, WAM.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 378).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 3 with Representative(s) Alcos voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Holt, Kong, Shimizu, Tam voting no (5) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Alcos; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Holt voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 775) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Amato, Evslin, Kapela, Kila, La Chica, Woodson, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Olds; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 126) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HED.

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Belatti, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to WAL, HED, FIN, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors