HB 455 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO SMALL BUSINESS LOANS.

Summary

Appropriates moneys to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for the contracting of services for start-up business financing and support. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD2)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Apr 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB455_SD1 → HB455_SD2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was fundamentally rewritten to shift from establishing a new government-run loan program for small businesses to appropriating funds for the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to contract external services for start-up financing. This change removes the statutory authority to make direct loans, creates a new eligibility restriction preventing overlap with existing community-based economic development loans, and eliminates the requirement for the department to submit annual reports to the legislature.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from creating a new direct lending program to funding a contracted service model, and it now explicitly excludes businesses already eligible for the existing community-based economic development loan program.

SCOPE

Removed the establishment of a new 'Hawaii start-up business loan program' and the authority to make direct loans to businesses.

Added appropriation for contracting external services for start-up business financing and support instead of direct lending.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a restriction stating that businesses eligible for the existing community-based economic development loan program cannot receive funds under this new program.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement for the department to submit annual reports to the legislature regarding the program's implementation.

DEFINITION

Removed detailed statutory definitions for the program, division, and specific loan terms such as interest rates and forgiveness provisions.

FISCAL

Changed the funding mechanism from establishing a special fund for direct loans to appropriating general revenues for contracted services.

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 10, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 641) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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

Apr 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-03-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1092) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 11, 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 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-11-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDT, WAM.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 106).

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 24, 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; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Feb 10, 2025

Committee

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 300) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 5, 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 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

19 primary · 0 co-sponsors