HB 546 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Summary

Establishes the Aloha Intelligence Institute within the University of Hawaii to develop, support, and advance artificial intelligence initiatives statewide. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Education ✓ Technology

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Feb 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

HB546_HD1 → HB546_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from a House Draft to a Senate Draft, primarily updating administrative metadata, correcting a constitutional citation, and refining the institute's mission to focus on the 'State' rather than just 'Hawaii'. The most significant substantive change is the removal of all specific appropriation language for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, replacing it with a single placeholder effective date of July 1, 3000, which currently defers any actual funding or establishment of positions.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed from a specific appropriation for immediate implementation to a general authorization without current funding, and the geographic focus was adjusted to refer to the 'State' instead of 'Hawaii' in several contexts.

FISCAL

Removed all specific appropriation sections for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, eliminating the immediate funding mechanism for the institute.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date to July 1, 3000, indicating that the bill is currently a placeholder or authorization without an immediate implementation date.

DEFINITION

Updated the constitutional citation to include 'article X, sections 6' and changed references from 'Hawaii' to 'the State' in the institute's mission and ethical guidelines.

TECHNICAL

Updated document metadata, including author names, revision numbers, and report titles 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 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Committee

Reported from HRE/LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1207) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Aquino, Lee, C., Ihara, Moriwaki, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HRE recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HRE were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, Hashimoto, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HRE/LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-18-25 3:25PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to HRE/LBT, WAM.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 109).

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 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 12 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Miyake, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Lee, M., Morikawa, Alcos, Ward.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Committee

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 336), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Reported from HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 148) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to ECD.

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Amato, Evslin, Kapela, Kila, La Chica, Olds, Sayama, Woodson, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to HED, ECD, FIN, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors