SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS VOTES TO APPROVE THE SENATE’S VERSION OF THE STATE BUDGET

News Release from Senate Democratic Caucus, March 30, 2023

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – Today, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means voted to approve the State Budget Bill, also known as House Bill 300. The Senate's version of HB300 for the biennium budget covering fiscal years 2024 (FY24) and 2025 (FY25) includes appropriations of $11,651,629,910 and $9,975,019,156 in general funds, respectively. Additionally, the bill allocates $19,839,455,118 in FY24 and $9,975,019,156 in FY25 for all means of financing.

On Opening Day, Governor Green announced a $1 billion commitment to combat Hawaiʻi's housing crisis. The Senate budget provides further details on the commitment, earmarking a billion dollars worth of projects to meet economic needs, including housing and transit-oriented development infrastructure, teacher workforce housing, rent supplement assistance, and support for vulnerable and homeless individuals. The budget also intends to further tackle Hawaiʻi's housing crisis while simultaneously enhancing early childhood education, mitigating climate change, and improving the health and wellness of the residents.

"This Senate draft is intended to create a tipping point in addressing many of Hawaiʻi’s most pressing issues,” noted Senator Donovan Dela Cruz, chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “In support of the Green Administration's priorities, we believe that we are putting forth a budget that will ensure that the people who call Hawaiʻi home will not just survive but thrive.”

In the bill, the Senate is committing $354 million in FY24 and $338 million in FY25 in tax relief and exemptions as part of the Green Affordability Plan to help control the high cost of living, which includes increasing tax credits and deductions for low to medium-income taxpayers. The budget also sets aside millions in general funds to address mental and behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities, and healthcare workforce shortages.

Other notable budget highlights include appropriations for the following agencies:

Department of Accounting and General Services:

• Adding 7.00 permanent positions and $907,190 in FY24 and $994,772 in FY25 for cloud-based financial systems
• Adding 2.00 permanent positions and $185,000 for the Office of Information Practices
• Adding $192,696 for salary differentials for the Office of Information Practices
• Adding 2.00 permanent positions and $259,280 in FY24 and $319,592 in FY25 for the digitization of Government records (Act 178 2022)
• Transfer out $3,342,309 to the Department of Taxation for the Tax System Modernization project
• Adding $5,000,000 for the relocation of the Data Center
• Adding $746,623 in FY24 and $1,555,006 in FY25 for Microsoft licenses
• Adding 13.00 permanent positions and $1,044,400 in FY24 and $1,040,400 in FY25 for the cloud-based financial systems in the Office of Enterprise Technology Services
• Adding $17,000,000 in FY24 for insurance policy premiums
• Adding $2,000,000 in FY24 for Capitol Building renovations
• Adding $1 for OCCC plans, design, and lease buyback
• Adding $500,000 in FY24 and $5,000,000 in FY25 for Mapunapuna relocation of baseyard
• Adding 2.00 permanent positions and $170,200 in FY24 and $160,244 in FY25 for procurement (Act 176 2022)
• Adding 1.00 temporary positions and $259,000 in FY24 and $251,250 in FY25 for the Small Business Assistance Initiative (Act 168 2022)
• Adding $13,500 for the procurement past performance database (Act 188 2021)
• Transfer out 75.00 permanent positions and $5,755,493 to the Department of Education for neighbor island school repairs and maintenance
• Adding $3,718,308 in FY24 for voter system contracts
• Adding $2,000,000 for Iolani Palace
• Adding $1 for Bishop Museum
• Adding $1,987,142 in special funds to update the Emergency 911 hardware

Department of Agriculture:

• Adding $7,000,000 in FY24 for Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle control
• Adding 2.00 permanent positions and $255,792 in FY24 and $228,004 in FY25 to continue Bovine Tuberculosis operations on Molokai
• Increase the federal funds ceiling by $6,000,000 for grants for agricultural development
• Adding $500,000 in FY24 to fund the Da Bux program
• Increase the Revolving Fund ceiling by $600,000 in FY24 and $350,000 in FY25 for pesticides drift monitoring

Department of the Attorney General:

• Adding $409,636 in FY24 and $426,484 in FY25 for full-year funding for 11.00 positions
• Adding $470,000 to the Litigation Fund
• Adding $365,000 in FY24 and $94,000 in FY25 for the eGrants Management System
• Adding 4.00 permanent positions and $406,288 for the Hawaiʻi Correctional System Oversight Commission
• Adding 7.00 Special Agents and reduce 6.50 investigators,
• Adding $396,782 in FY24 and $364,246 in FY25 for the Special Investigations and Prosecution Division

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism:

• Adding $50,000 in FY24 for the Kamaaina Connect Pilot Program
• Adding $5,000,000 in FY24 for the Pacific Arts and Cultural Festival
• Adding $2,500,000 in FY24 for programming of professional master classes for culinary
• Adding $500,000 in FY24 and $400,000 in FY25 for international and arts programs
• Adding $225,000 for full-year funding for State Energy Office positions
• Adding $30,000 in special funds for energy software
• Adding $94,200 in general funds and $166,911 in federal funds for labor research
• Adding $2,994,167 in FY24 and $3,382,618 in FY25 for tourism research
• Adding $34,462,555 in FY24 for Green Energy Money Saver “GEMS” loans
• Adding $57,306 in FY24 for the Small Business Regulatory Review Board
• Adding 1.00 permanent position and $90,000 for the Aerospace Development Coordinator
• Adding 1.00 permanent position and $90,000 for an asset manager for HTDC
• Adding $500,000 for statewide coastal zone management
• Adding $25,060 for Land Use Commission travel
• Adding $400,000 in FY24 for standardized vulnerability assessment
• Adding $400,000 for Phase II of the Waikiki Adaptation and Resilience Plan
• Adding $696,425,000 in FY24 for transit-orientated development infrastructure (SB1191)
• Adding 7.00 permanent positions and $1,205,000 in special funds for the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority
• Adding 1.00 permanent position and $90,000 for the Agribusiness Development Corporation (Act 219 SLH 2022)
• Adding $4,000,000 in FY24 for Waiahole Ditch debt service
• Adding $1 for the Aloha Stadium Special District

Department of Budget and Finance:

• Adding $310,776 in FY24 and $331,872 in FY25 for full-year funding for 8.00 positions
• Adding $33,000,000 in both fiscal years for Broadband Federal Matching
• Adding $500,000,000 to the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund
• Adding 1.00 position and $71,106 for the Office of the Public Defender
• Adding $257,446,927 for Debt Service funding
• Adding $61,938,702 for Retirement Benefits
• Reduce $9,343,547 for Health Premium Payments

Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs:

• Increase the ceiling by $75,000 for the central services assessment
• Increase the ceiling by $300,000 for the licensing database
• Increase the ceiling by $10,500,000 for the King Kalakaua Building’s roof
• Increase the ceiling by $398,569 in FY24 and $142,821 in FY25 for fringe benefits
• Increase the ceiling by $750,000 for the electric vehicle charging rebate program
• Increase the ceiling by $750,000 for the hydrogen fueling rebate program

Department of Defense:

• Adding $1,000,000 for deferred maintenance
• Adding $166,750 in general funds and $500,250 in federal funds for student meals at the National Guard’s Youth Challenge Academy (YCA) in Hilo and Kapolei
• Adding $125,000 in FY24 to replace the roof at YCA in Hilo for health and safety
• Adding 1.00 permanent Military Real Property Program Manager, $62,682 in FY24, and $121,563 in FY25 in federal funds for the National Guard
• Adding 1.00 permanent Program Analyst, $48,050 in FY24, and $92,299 in FY25 in federal funds for the National Guard
• Adding $3,000,000 for the Major Disaster Fund-Post Disasters at Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA)
• Adding $2,522,860 in general funds in FY24 for grant matching of $4,500,000 in federal funds in FY24 for HI-EMA for hazards
• Adding $500,000 for the Resilient Hawaiʻi Revolving Loan Fund (Act 284 2022)
• Increase the ceiling of $500,000 for HI-EMA’s Hazard Mitigation Special Fund (Act 249 2022)
• Adding $145,000 in FY24 for HI-EMA for a bucket truck to repair sirens on Oahu
• Adding $12,000,000 in FY24 for HI-EMA's headquarters building

Department of Education:

• Adding $7,000,000 for the Hawaiʻi Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn initiative
• Adding $10,000,000 in FY24 for Worker’s Compensation
• Adding 20.00 permanent positions and $1,474,000 for distance learning
• Adding 13.00 permanent positions and $643,504 for bilingual school-home assistants
• Adding $3,600,000 in FY24 and $7,200,000 in FY25 for workforce development for special education students
• Adding $12,010,000 in FY24 for contracted skilled nursing services
• Adding 76.00 permanent positions for applied behavior analysis (Act 205 2018)
• Adding $898,560 for after-school care for students with disabilities
• Adding 2.00 permanent positions and $1,000,600 for youth suicide awareness (Act 270 2019)
• Adding $350,000 for Title IX training (Act 242 2022)
• Adding 1.00 permanent position and $110,136 for school gardens (Act 258 2022)
• Adding 1.00 permanent position and $110,136 for summer learning (Act 259 2022)
• Adding $1,700,000 for a health referral management system
• Adding 4.00 permanent positions and $300,768 for the Hawaiʻi Teachers' Standards Board
• Adding $13,000,000 in FY24 for electricity
• Adding $207,000 in FY24 and $179,000 in FY25 for kindergarten entry assessments (Act 46 2020)
• Adding $300,000 in FY24 for active threat response training
• Transfer-in 75.00 permanent positions and $5,755,493 from the Department of Accounting and General Services for neighbor island school repairs and maintenance
• Adding $50,000,000 in FY24 for deferred maintenance
• Adding $185,000,000 in FY24 for teacher housing (SB941)
• Adding $1 for power purchase agreements
• Adding $46,000,000 for land acquisition and renovation
• Adding $2,000,000 in FY24 and $3,128,236 in FY25 to restore salaries for unfunded library positions
• Adding $100,000 for digital literacy programs (Act 232 2022)
• Adding $11,500,000 in revolving funds for after-school programs
• Adding 3.00 permanent positions for the School Facilities Authority
• Adding 5.00 permanent positions and $396,192 for the School Facilities Authority
• Adding $10,945,798 in FY24 and $12,919,936 in FY25 for Charter School per pupil adjustment 
• Adding 60.00 permanent positions and $5,130,000 for Charter School early learning (Act 257 2022)
• Adding $30,000 in FY24 to support traditional native speakers of Hawaiian
• Adding $660,000 for the Early Childhood Educator Stipend program (Act 210 2021)
• Adding 36.00 permanent positions and $3,949,425 in FY24 and 126.00 permanent positions and $7,641,383 in FY25 for early learning classrooms (Act 257 2022)

Office of the Governor

• Adding 6.00 permanent positions and $894,528 for the Office of Wellness and Resilience (Act 291 2022)
• Transfer-in 5.00 positions from the Department of Transportation for the Office of Wellness and Resilience
• Adding 1.00 permanent position and $130,000 for Chief Negotiator position
• Adding $150,000 in general funds for FY24 and FY25 for Other Current Expenses to fund special projects

Department of Health:

• Adding $32,315,400 in general funds in both fiscal years for the Hawaiʻi Health System Corporation (HHSC) Regions' operating subsidy
• Adding $16,320,700 in both fiscal years for HHSC Oahu's operating subsidy
• Adding $1 in FY24 for Maui Health System’s operating subsidy
• Adding $16,320,700 in both fiscal years for HHSC Oahu's operating subsidy
• Transfer-in 17.50 permanent positions, 23.50 temporary positions, $3,697,802 in general funds, and $137,363 in other federal funds for both fiscal years for the Performance, Information, Evaluation, and Research (PIER) branch under the Adult Mental Health Division
• Transfer-in 21.00 permanent positions, 14.00 temporary positions, and $2,169,028 in general funds for both fiscal years for the Performance, Information, Evaluation, and Research (PIER) branch under the Adult Mental Health Division
• Adding 74.00 permanent positions and $4,279,068 in general funds in FY24, 148.00 permanent positions and $8,558,136 in general funds in FY25 for 141.00 Psychiatric Technicians, 4.00 Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, and 3.00 Security Guards at the Hawaiʻi State Hospital
• Adding $12,900,000 in general funds in FY24 and $14,100,000 in general funds in FY25 for the Medicaid Home and Community Based Service Waiver for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Adding $26,000,000 in general funds in both fiscal years for service provider contract adjustments to account for inflation
• Adding 4.00 permanent positions, $230,508 in general funds in FY24, and $239,412 in general funds for FY25 to fully fund salaries for 3.00 Food Safety Specialists and 1.00 Secretary in the Food and Drug Branch
• Adding $47,630,145 in general funds in FY24 and $43,629,646 in general funds in FY25 for Emergency Medical Services across the State
• Adding $1,600,000 in general funds in both fiscal years for an ambulance on the island of Molokai
• Adding $400,000 in revolving funds in both fiscal years to raise the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Revolving Fund ceiling
• Adding 2.00 permanent positions, $73,644 in general funds in FY24, and $153,156 in general funds in FY25 for 1.00 Environmental Management Program Manager, and 1.00 Secretary II for the Environmental Planning Office
• Adding 4.00 permanent positions, $263,604 in general funds in FY24, and $273,804 in general funds in FY25 for 2.00 Public Health Supervisors, 1.00 Public Health Educator, and 1.00 Secretary in the Hawaiʻi District Health Office
• Adding 4.00 permanent positions, $249,564 in general funds in FY24, and $259,086 in general funds in FY25 for 2.00 Public Health Supervisors, 1.00 Public Health Educator, and 1.00 Office Assistant in the Maui District Health Office
• Adding 3.00 permanent positions, $181,008 in general funds in FY24, and $188,052 in general funds in FY25 for 1.00 Public Health Supervisor, 1.00 Public Health Educator, and 1.00 Office Assistant in the Kauai District Health Office
• Adding 4.00 permanent positions, $114,354 in general funds in FY24, and $237,456 in general funds in FY25 for 3.00 Epidemiological Specialists and 1.00 Statistics Clerk in the Hawaiʻi District Health Office
• Adding 3.00 permanent positions, $95,190 in general funds in FY24, and $197,208 in general funds in FY25 for 3.00 Epidemiological Specialists in the Maui District Health Office
• Adding 3.00 permanent positions, $95,190 in general funds in FY24, and $197,208 in general funds in FY25 for 3.00 Epidemiological Specialists in the Kauai District Health Office
• Adding $10,000,000 in general funds in FY24 and $20,000,000 in general funds in FY25 for the Hawaiʻi State Loan Repayment Program for Healthcare Professionals
• Adding $1 for Plan and Design costs for Kinau Hale Remodeling

Department of Human Resource Development:

• Adding $4,305,000 in FY24 for Worker’s Compensation claims
• Adding 1.00 position $108,521 for Workforce Attraction, Selection, Classification, and Effectiveness
• Adding $250,000 in FY24 for IT and computer equipment
• Adding 2.00 positions and $3,000,000 in FY24 for tech support & infrastructure
• Adding 1.00 position and $3,000,000 for a Telework pilot project

Department of Human Services:

• Adding $60,000,000 in general funds in both fiscal years for the State Rent Supplement Program 
• Adding $1,550,000 in general funds in both fiscal years for Family Assessment Centers
• Adding $3,750,000 in general funds in both fiscal years for the Housing First Program
• Adding $3,750,000 in general funds in both fiscal years for the Rapid Re-Housing Program
• Adding $1,750,000 in general funds in both fiscal years for Homeless Outreach Services
• Adding $345,000 in general funds in FY24 and $120,000 in general funds in FY25 for the Homeless Services Database
• Adding $22,000,000 in general funds in both fiscal years for service provider contract adjustments to account for inflation
• Adding $50,000,000 in general funds in FY24 for Deferred Maintenance for the Hawaiʻi Public Housing Authority
• Increase special fund ceiling by $5,000,000 for the Spouse and Child Abuse Special Fund
• Adding $1,036,000 in general funds in FY24 and $536,000 in general funds in FY25 for IT modifications for an expanded Preschool Open Doors Program
• Adding $38,800,000 in general funds in both fiscal years for the expansion of Preschool Open Doors Programs to include 3-year-olds
• Adding $37,872,172 in general funds in FY24 and $36,854,272 in general funds in FY25 for Early Learning Expansion
• Adding $5,636,953 in general funds and $7,191,798 in federal funds in both fiscal years for nursing facilities
• Adding $3,387,000 in general funds in FY24 and $4,516,000 in general funds in FY25 for the Child Wellness Incentive Pilot Program (Act 127 2022)
• Adding $30,000,000 in general funds in both fiscal years and $42,833,212 in federal funds in FY24 and $43,393,822 in federal funds in FY25 for reimbursements to professional service providers
• Adding $400,000 in general funds in both fiscal years for Sex Trafficking Victims Support
• Adding 5.00 permanent positions and $500,000 in general funds in FY24 and $460,000 in general funds in FY25 for the Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions (Act 252 2022)
• Adding $15,000,000 in general funds in FY24 for the Ohana Zones Pilot Program
• Adding $1,552,000 in general funds and $9,532,000 in federal funds in both fiscal years for the First-To-Work Housing Assistance
• Adding $605,000 in general funds in both fiscal years for the Family Resource Center Network
• Adding $15,000,000 in FY24 and $33,000,000 in FY25 for Kauhale Projects across the State

Department of Law Enforcement:

• Adding 1.00 Program Specialist and 10.00 Deputy Sheriffs (including 4.00 for Executive Protection), $1,190,694 in FY24, and $1,136,610 in FY25
• Adding 4.00 Deputy Sheriffs, $176,748 in FY24, and $289,584 in FY25
• Adding $152,420 for drug monitoring for narcotics enforcement
• Adding $312,120 in FY24 and $270,000 in FY25 for body-worn cameras
• Adding $36,000 for live scan system for identification
• Adding $37,500 for ballistic protective vests
• Adding 8.00 training positions, $435,001 in FY24, and $733,435 in FY25
• Adding $45,000,000 in FY24 for the IT software project
• Adding $2,015,383 in FY24 for full-year funding of 50.00 positions
• Adding $5,000,000 in FY24 for plans and design of a headquarters
• Adding 5.00 Investigators, $304,722 in FY24, and $500,678 in FY25 for the Office of Homeland Security
• Adding 1.00 Cybersecurity, Economic, Education, and Infrastructure Security Coordinator, $78,993 in FY24, and $157,986 in FY25 for the Office of Homeland Security

Department of Labor and Industrial Relations:

• Reducing $1,125,000 in federal funds for Occupational Safety & Health
• Reducing $5,138,180 in federal funds for the Workforce Development program
• Reducing $6,710,272 in federal funds for the Unemployment Insurance program
• Adding $364,226 in federal funds for Office of Community Services
• Adding 1.00 permanent position and $1,000,000 for the Immigrant Resource Center
• Adding 3.00 temporary positions and $1,248,772 in FY24 and $259,064 in FY25 for the new retirement savings board
• Adding $36,000,000 in FY24 for the unemployment insurance modernization project

Department of Land and Natural Resources:

• Adding $1,500,000 in special funds for the Land Conservation Fund for land acquisition
• Adding $500,000 in FY24 for Banyan Drive planning
• Adding $750,000 in special funds for the conveyances and records digitization project
• Adding $1,500,000 for the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council
• Adding 4.00 permanent positions and $117,210 in FY24 and $234,393 in FY25 for Navy’s Red Hill Contamination
• Adding 2.00 permanent positions and $58,596 in FY24 and $117,192 in FY25 for water allocation permits
• Adding 4.00 permanent positions and $4,684,997 in FY24 and 29.00 permanent positions and $4,372,099 in FY25 for the enforcement of environmental conservation and protection
• Adding $3,100,000 in FY24 for watershed protection
• Adding $3,849,034 in special funds for repairs and maintenance for the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation
• Adding 1.00 permanent position and $28,856 in FY24 and $57,712 in FY25 for the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation
• Adding $67,150,000 in FY24 and $20,650,000 in FY 25 for DOBOR climate change initiatives
• Adding $2,000,000 for trail maintenance and restoration
• Adding $10,000,000 in FY24 and $8,000,000 in FY25 in special funds for State parks repairs and maintenance
• Adding 1.00 permanent position and $83,064 to coordinate merchandising strategies
• Adding $400,000 for the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission
• Adding 6.00 temporary positions and $14,000,000 for the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (Act 255 2022)

Office of the Lieutenant Governor:

• Adding 3.00 temporary positions and $520,000 for policy areas
• Adding 2.00 temporary positions and $187,608 to support the office’s statutory responsibilities
• Adding 3.00 permanent positions and $360,000 for broadband digital equity
• Adding $528,505 in FY24 and $540,505 in FY25 for other current expenses

Department of Public Safety:

• Adding $1,302,141 for full-year funding to support new housing at Hawaiʻi CCC
• Adding $1,103,018 in FY25 for 6-month funding to support new housing at Maui CCC
• Adding $4,513,782 in FY25 for full-year funding to support new housing at Women’s CCC
• Trade-off $450,432 to restore 8.00 Substance Abuse Specialists
• Adding $450,000 in FY24 and $500,000 in FY25 to purchase more local agricultural food products (Act 144 2022)
• Adding $970,176 for 24-hour health care at facilities on neighbor islands and Oahu
• Adding 4.00 permanent nurses, $286,645 in FY24, and $525,969 in FY25 for the new Infection Prevention and Control Unit
• Adding 1.00 Dentist Manager, $144,415 in FY24, and $276,999 in FY25
• Adding 8.00 permanent positions, $381,826 in FY24, and $669,012 in FY25 for Internal Affairs, and Training and Staff Development Offices
• Adding $2,000,000 to expand the community work furlough program from Oahu to statewide
• Adding $521,899 in FY24 for utility shortfalls at Halawa CF, Waiawa CF, and Oahu CCC
• Adding $25,000,000 in FY24 for deferred maintenance

County Subsidies:

• Adding $10,000,000 in FY24 for Housing Funding for the City & County of Honolulu

Department of Taxation:

• Adding 2.00 permanent positions and $160,368 in FY24 and $166,128 in FY25 to fund newly established positions in the Oahu Field Audit Branch
• Adding $8,017,617 in FY24 and $3,855,721 in FY25 to fund the Tax System Modernization Project
• Adding 5.00 permanent positions $533,859 in FY24 and $546,579 in FY25 to fund newly established positions for the Taxation Board of Review

Department of Transportation:

• Adding $56,726,547 in FY24 and $61,722,000 in FY25 for Airports Special Maintenance Statewide
• Adding $30,625,000 in FY24 and $33,625,000 in FY25 for Harbors Administration
• Adding $2,737,000 for Highways traffic control on Oahu
• Adding $50,000,000 in FY24 and $40,000,000 in FY25 for Highways Special Maintenance Program
• Adding $1,375,000 for the Highways Google Safety Analytics Program

University of Hawaiʻi:

• Adding $17,526,848 in FY24 to restore reductions from COVID
• Adding $3,200,000 in FY24 for UH Manoa athletics
• Adding $85,000 for the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology
• Adding 7.00 permanent positions and $228,500 in FY24 and $457,000 in FY25 for the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health
• Adding $3,000,000 in FY24 for Waikiki aquarium seawall repairs
• Adding $3,025,468 in FY24 for a wastewater system demonstration pilot program (SB285)
• Adding $205,000 in special funds for the Physician Workforce Assessment Special Fund (Act 151 2021)
• Adding 4.00 permanent positions and $2,000,000 in FY24 for neighbor island medical residencies and training (Act 262 2022)
• Adding $400,000 in FY24 for UH Hilo athletics
• Adding 3.00 permanent positions and $98,500 in FY24 and $200,250 in FY25 for Maui College’s health center
• Adding $3,700,000 in FY24 to continue the Promise Program for Community Colleges
• Adding 31.00 permanent positions and $693,780 in FY24 and $1,456,938 in FY25 for Community College Security Officers
• Adding $35,000,000 in FY24 for Community College deferred maintenance
• Adding $578,240 for non-credit workforce development
• Adding 14.00 permanent positions and $577,500 in FY24 and $1,212,750 in FY25 for the early college program

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