Budget & Taxes (Procurement)

HB 2391 creates a temporary sales tax exemption for school supplies, meaning businesses selling these items would not collect the usual general excise tax during the holiday period. This directly affects consumers purchasing school supplies and the businesses selling them, as the bill requires retailers to pass any tax savings directly to shoppers. The key provision is a time-limited tax holiday where the state waives the sales tax on qualifying items, but businesses must lower prices for customers rather than keeping the savings. The policy aims to reduce costs for families buying school essentials during the holiday period. (Note: This is a policy change, not a procedural bill.)

SB 194 would remove general excise taxes on food, medical services, and feminine hygiene products. This means consumers purchasing groceries, healthcare services, and items like tampons or pads would no longer pay this specific tax on those items. The bill directly affects residents buying these essential goods and services, shifting the tax burden away from these categories.

Requires each purchasing agency to provide justification for hiring external consultants. Caps the amount each agency can spend on external consultants. Requires each agency to seek approval from the Legislature for consulting contracts exceeding a certain dollar amount. Requires each agency to disclose new contracts with external consultants. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Requires the Compliance Audit Unit to conduct regular audits of agency consultant contracts to assess cost-effectiveness and compliance. Requires each chief procurement officer to ensure that inherent government functions are not delegated to a contractor. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD2)

HB 1072 would provide state funds to public schools for classroom supplies requested by teachers during fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. The bill directly affects K-12 teachers and school administrators who would use these funds to purchase specific materials they identify as needed. It allocates dedicated funding through the Department of Education without requiring new state mandates or changes to existing supply procurement processes. This is a funding measure focused on supporting classroom needs as determined by educators themselves.

Increases the cap for awards to assist businesses applying for the Small Business Innovation Research Grant Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Program of the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation. Adds purchasing of renewable energy systems as an eligible expense and clarifies that training on both new and existing manufacturing equipment is an eligible expense for the Manufacturing Development Grant Program. Clarifies that no tax credit is available for renewable energy systems purchased with a grant received under the Manufacturing Development Grant Program.