HB 449 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Summary

Requires the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to prioritize funding for certain Hawaii-based businesses. Appropriates funds to assist in the development and promotion of Hawaii-manufactured products through the INNOVATE Hawaii program. Requires reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Technology

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB449_HD1 → HB449_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from a House Draft (HD1) to a Senate Draft (SD1), updating metadata and correcting the description of the INNOVATE Hawaii program's funding source. The most significant policy change is the addition of new reporting requirements for the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, mandating annual reports on business assistance, funding allocation, and economic impacts. Additionally, the Senate version introduces a new eligibility priority for manufacturers with fewer than 100 employees and expands the list of allowable fund expenditures to include workforce training, marketing, and research.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include specific eligibility priorities for small manufacturers and new mandatory reporting obligations for the administering corporation.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to submit an annual report detailing the number of businesses assisted, funding amounts, economic impacts, challenges, and future recommendations.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a priority for funding that favors Hawaii-based manufacturers with fewer than 100 employees focusing on local product development and workforce training.

FISCAL

Expanded allowable expenditures to explicitly include technological upgrades, workforce training, marketing, and research and development.

DEFINITION

Corrected the description of the INNOVATE Hawaii program's funding source from the 'manufacturing extension program' to the 'manufacturing extension partnership'.

TECHNICAL

Updated bill metadata, including the version number, revision history, and report title to reflect the Senate Draft status.

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

Mar 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1326) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Fukunaga, Kim, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-20-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDT, WAM.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 239).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Reported from TOU/ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 157) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Todd, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on TOU recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tam, Templo, Holt, Hussey, Ilagan, Todd, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to TOU/ECD, FIN, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to TOU, ECD, FIN, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors