SB 2578 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE FILM INDUSTRY.

Summary

Establishes the Hawaii Film Commission within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and transfers the rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Hawaii Film Office to the Commission. Requires appointments and hiring of staff by 12/31/2027. Establishes the Film Industry Development Special Fund. Excludes media and film from the definition of "creative industries" and renames the Hawaii Film and Creative Industries Development Special Fund as the Hawaii Creative Industries Development Special Fund. Amends the sources of moneys to be deposited into the Hawaii Creative Industries Development Special Fund. Allows the Creative Industries Development Special Fund to be used for the support and development of facilities and other initiatives to grow the State's creative industries. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Last action Apr 22, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB2578_HD1 → SB2578_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill fundamentally restructures Hawaii's film industry governance by creating a new Hawaii Film Commission with twelve members, including two ex officio voting members and ten appointed members. It separates film funding from the general creative industries fund, directing tax credit revenues to a new Film Industry Development Special Fund while allowing the remaining creative industries fund to support facility development. The changes also update the effective date of the legislation from the year 3000 to 2050 and clarify the appointment and hiring timelines for commission staff.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of governance by establishing a formal state film commission with specific member qualifications and shifts the funding scope by creating a dedicated fund for film tax credits, distinct from the broader creative industries fund.

REQUIREMENT

Establishes a new Hawaii Film Commission consisting of twelve members, including two ex officio voting members (the DBEDT director and the Board of Land and Natural Resources chair) and ten appointed members with specific expertise.

Modifies the appointment process for commission members to require gubernatorial appointment and removal, with restrictions on consecutive four-year terms for appointed members.

FISCAL

Creates a new 'Film Industry Development Special Fund' to receive all revenues from the film tax credit, separating it from the 'Hawaii Creative Industries Development Special Fund'.

DEFINITION

Clarifies that 'creative industries' explicitly excludes film, necessitating the separate funding structure and commission.

TIMELINE

Updates the effective date of the Act from July 1, 3000, to July 1, 2050, and clarifies that staff appointments and hiring must be completed by December 31, 2027.

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, 2026

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 514).

upper

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Apr 7, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Committee

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1425-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 20, 2026

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, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 16

lower

Mar 6, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 67) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Mar 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Feb 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:17AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Committee

Reported from EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2191) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 3, 2026

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, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Jan 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDT, WAM.

upper

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors