Budget & Taxes

passed · Hawaii · House Mar 23, 2026

HB 2604: RELATING TO PERFORMING ARTS.

HB 2604 would add a small surcharge to the price of tickets for certain live performing arts events held in the state, such as theater, dance, or music performances. This fee would directly affect ticket buyers attending those specific events. The bill establishes a new fee structure where the surcharge is collected by the ticket seller and added to the final ticket price. The exact amount and specific event types covered aren't detailed in the provided abstract, but the surcharge applies only to events occurring within the state.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes ticket surcharge to fund performing arts grants, creating new tax revenue for specific program funding per topic indicators.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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signed · Hawaii · House Mar 23, 2026

HB 2240: MAKING APPROPRIATIONS TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE LEGISLATURE, THE AUDITOR, THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU, THE OMBUDSMAN, AND THE ETHICS COMMISSION.

HB 2240 provides funding to cover operating expenses for five specific state offices: the Legislature, the Auditor, the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Ombudsman, and the Ethics Commission. This procedural bill allocates budget resources to support these entities' day-to-day functions without changing laws or creating new policies. It directly affects these government offices by ensuring they have financial resources to operate. The bill is currently in the early committee referral stage (referred to Finance on January 30, 2026).

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates budget resources to fund legislative and oversight agencies' operations, directly supporting fiscal management of essential government functions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

passed both · Hawaii · Senate Mar 20, 2026

SB 747: RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Establishes an Audit Office within the Board of Education to audit operations and expenditures of the Department of Education. Exempts positions within the Audit Office from civil service law. Requires annual reports to the Governor and Director of Finance. Authorizes the Legislature to request a copy of the annual reports. Establishes positions within the Audit Office. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes Audit Office with reporting to financial authorities, promoting fiscal responsibility through oversight of education budget expenditures.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Mar 20, 2026

SB 3187: RELATING TO OFF-SITE CONSTRUCTION.

Implements certain recommendations of the SPEED Task Force. Establishes and appropriates funds for a working group within the State Building Code Council to develop proposals for an off-site construction program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates state funds for a working group developing off-site construction proposals, directly allocating budget resources per subject 'Appropriation ($)'.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Mar 20, 2026

SB 3246: RELATING TO HOSPITAL DISCHARGE DATA.

Establishes a statewide system for the collection, audit, and public release of de‑identified hospital discharge data. Requires the State Health Planning and Development Agency to convene a Hospital Discharge Data Working Group. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates funds for a statewide hospital data system, directly funding a state program under budgetary authority.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAppropriates funds to establish statewide hospital discharge data system, enhancing health data transparency and planning for public health initiatives.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · House Mar 20, 2026

HB 2534: RELATING TO ROBOTICS.

HB 2534 would appropriate state funds to the Department of Education to establish robotics as an official interscholastic sport for public high schools. If passed, it would allow schools to form competitive robotics teams under state guidelines, with the Department developing program rules by July 1, 3000. The bill directly affects public high school students and athletic programs by creating a new competitive category. It is currently pending in the Education Committee after passing committee recommendations with amendments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates state funds to fund robotics as a new interscholastic sport, directly allocating public budget resources for education programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates state funds to establish robotics as a competitive interscholastic sport, expanding student program opportunities in K-12 education under DOE oversight.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · House Mar 20, 2026

HB 2618: RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

Establishes a Green Fee Special Fund to receive an allocation of green fee revenues. Establishes various special funds to receive allocations of green fee revenues. Requires the Governor to request, through a bill separate from the budget or supplemental budget, an amount that approximates green fee revenues subtracted from the amounts allocated to the various funds to be expended for certain climate change and tourism destination management projects. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesDirects transient accommodations tax revenue toward climate/tourism projects, ensuring dedicated funding allocation for specified purposes.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds climate change projects via tourism tax revenue, directly advancing environmental protection goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Mar 20, 2026

SB 2908: RELATING TO PERMITTING.

Requires and appropriates funds for the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, in collaboration with a county selected by the Department, to develop an artificial intelligence-assisted pre-compliance intake pilot platform, subject to a matching funds requirement for the county. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to develop a policy or metric to measure the success of the pilot platform. Effective 7/1/2050. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates state funds for a statewide permitting platform development, directly addressing budget allocation under state fiscal management.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationFunds statewide permitting platform to streamline infrastructure project approvals, supporting transportation infrastructure development via SPEED Task Force recommendations.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 1941: RELATING TO TAXATION.

Amends the requirements for productions to qualify for the Motion Picture, Digital Media, and Film Production Income Tax to include completing at least fifteen per cent of the production's principal photography within the same taxable year the production is qualifying for the film tax credit and completing or committing to complete fifteen per cent of the production's post-production in the State within the same taxable year the production is qualifying for the film tax credit or later taxable years. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Repeals 1/1/2033. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAmends film production tax credit qualifications to require 15% in-state work, promoting economic development through targeted tax incentives.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 3081: RELATING TO A PROGRAM TO CHARACTERIZE THE POTENTIAL OF UNDERGROUND ENERGY RESOURCES STATEWIDE.

Establishes the Underground Energy Resource Characterization Program to identify the location and characteristics of accessible geothermal heat and carbon sequestration resources through the use of slim-hole bores and requires a related environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates funds for the Underground Energy Resource Characterization Program, directly allocating state budget resources per its summary and subjects.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyEstablishes geothermal resource characterization program, funding exploration for renewable energy development under Hawaii State Energy Office.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes program to identify geothermal and carbon sequestration resources, promoting clean energy and environmental protection through required environmental assessments.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Budget & Taxes

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