Hawaiʻi Lawmakers Approve State Budget

News Release from House Democratic Caucus April 24, 2017

House and Senate conferees met on Monday to approve a final version of HB100 HD1 SD1, the state budget bill covering fiscal years 2018 and 2019.

The committee agreed on funding for pesticide regulation and studies and three Department of Agriculture positions for pesticides compliance; special funds for an enhanced 911 dispatch software upgrade; general funds for the Hawaiʻi Promise Program to provide college tuition support; and general funds to support housing, outreach and legal services for homeless people

The committee also decided to add $1 million to the budget for the Department of Health to fight Rat Lungworm Disease citing the need to act quickly in preventing the spread of the disease.

The House Finance and Senate Ways and Means conference committee met several times to iron out the differences between the two budget versions which must be completed by April 28, the deadline for all fiscal bills to pass out of conference committee.

The final conference draft will be voted upon by the Legislature and if approved, sent to the governor for his signature.

Rep. Sylvia Luke (Dist. 25 – Makiki, Punchbowl, Nuʻuanu, Dowsett Highlands, Pacific Heights, Pauoa), said the conference committee was able to come up with a successful budget because of the hard choices made initially by both the Senate and the House.

“When we first received the budget from Governor David Ige, we were looking at a very different financial picture,” said Luke, the House Finance Committee Chair. “As it became clear that the state would have less revenue, we needed cut millions of dollars from the governor’s request. We were able to do that because of the hard work of the committee members.”

“Our ability to reach agreement on the budget reflects a shared belief that as resources are constrained, we must focus on priority needs that can be sustained. Even as fixed costs and unfunded liabilities rise, our communities look to us to provide support for the most basic and essential programs and services from homeless and health care to protecting the environment and resources for our keiki and kupuna,” said Senator Jill Tokuda (Dist. 24 – Kaneʻohe, Kaneʻohe MCAB, Kailua, Heʻeia, Ahuimanu), chair of the Senate committee on Ways and Means.

At Monday’s meeting, the committee highlighted many budget items upon which the House and Senate reached agreement.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

· Add $1,500,000 in general funds in FY18 for Agricultural Loan Revolving Fund (AGR101/GA).
· Add (2) permanent positions and $226,134 in FY18 and (3) positions and $200,000 in FY19 in general funds for the Agricultural Food Safety Certification Program (AGR151/BB).
· Add (1) position and $115,772 in general funds in each FY for the Industrial Hemp Pilot Program (AGR151/BB).
· Add (3) permanent positions and $79,236 in FY18 and $158,472 in FY19 in general funds for pesticides compliance (AGR846/EE).
· Add $750,000 in general funds in each FY, non-recurring, for pesticide regulation expenses and studies (AGR846/EE).

DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES

· Add (1) permanent position and $39,000 in FY18 and $77,000 in FY19 in general funds for contract audits (AGS104/BA).
· Change means of financing for (5) permanent positions and $505,585 from trust funds to general funds in each FY for Campaign Spending Commission (AGS871/NA).
· Add $7,800,000 in special funds in FY18 for Enhanced 911 Board Computer Aided Dispatch Software Upgrade (AGS891/PA).

DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

· Add $5,000,000 in general funds in FY18 for Litigation Fund (ATG100/AA).
· Add $70,000 in special funds in each FY for maintenance of internet based registration systems and charity registration databases (ATG100/AA).

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM

· Add (1) permanent position and $25,386 in FY18 and $50,772 in FY19 in general funds for compliance with decisions and orders of Land Use Commission (BED103/DA).
· Add $250,000 in general funds in FY18 for feasibility and benefits study for establishing a small satellite launch and processing facility in the State (BED128).
· Add $200,000 in general funds in FY18 for a market assessment and feasibility study for the development of a basalt fiber manufacturing plant in Hawaii (BED128).
· Add (1) permanent position and $28,584 in FY18 and $57,168 in FY19 in general funds for economic research (BED130/FA).
· Add $1,000,000 in general funds in FY18 for Excelerator Program for High Technology Development Corporation (BED143).
· Add $1,000,000 in general funds in FY18 for manufacturing grant program for High Technology Development Corporation (BED143).
· Add $1,000,000 in general funds in FY18 for small business innovation research program (BED143).
· Add (1) temporary position and $27,618 in FY18 and $55,236 in FY19 in general funds for Special Action Team on Affordable Rental Housing (BED144/PL).

DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND FINANCE

· Add $34,625,428 in FY18 and $70,673,178 in FY19 in general funds for additional retirement benefit payments funding for the State to reflect phase-in of employer contribution rate increases.
· Add (1) permanent position and $28,116 in FY18 and $51,432 in FY19 in general funds for the Administrative and Research Office’s Information and Technology staff (BUF101/BA).
· Add (1) permanent position and $55,671 in FY18 and $107,552 in FY19 in funds for Hawaii Domestic Relations Orders implementation (BUF141/FA).
· Add $9,700,000 in each FY for statewide centralized vacation payout (BUF103/VP).
· Add (1) permanent position and $148,930 in trust funds in FY19 for investment analysis (BUF143/EU).
· Add (3) permanent positions and $445,768 in general funds in each FY for Community Court Outreach Program (BUF151).
· Add $33,420,000 in general funds in FY18 for operations subsidy for Maui Health System (HTH214/LS).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS

· Add (1) permanent position and $51,000 in FY18 and $84,000 in FY19 in trust funds for condominium education (CCA105/GA).
· Add $200,000 in special funds in FY18 for consultant services and training (CCA901/MA).

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

· Add $325,000 in general funds in FY18 for Diamond Head Sewer Lift Station Emergency Generator (DEF110/AA).
· Add $768,000 in general funds in FY18 for tree trimming and removal at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery (DEF112/VA).
· Add (1) permanent positon and $27,556 in FY18 and $54,112 in FY19 in general funds for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning maintenance (DEF110/AA).

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

· Add $1,000,000 in general funds in each FY for Early College High School Initiative (EDN100/BX).
· Add $2,027,645 in general funds in FY18 for Office of Hawaiian Education (EDN100/CJ).
· Add $2,800,000 in general funds and $2,800,000 in federal funds in FY18 for Hawaii Keiki Healthy and Ready to Learn program (EDN100/BX).
· Add (2) permanent positions and $183,818 in general funds in each FY for Hawaii Teachers Standards Board (EDN200).
· Add (15) permanent positions and $703,980 in general funds in each FY for Homeless Concerns Liaisons (EDN200/GQ).
· Add $1,100,000 in general funds in FY18 for Student Information System Enhancement and Expansion (EDN300/UA).
· Add (6) permanent positions and $135,216 in FY18 and $270,432 in FY19 in general funds for Workers’ Compensation Program (EDN300/KO).
· Add $670,000 in general funds in FY18 for Alternative Teacher Route Programs (EDN300/KO).
· Add $293,557 in general funds in FY18 for Community Engagement Office (EDN300/KD).
· Add (15) permanent positions and $779,310 in FY18 and $1,434,885 in FY19 in general funds for Title IX and Civil Rights Compliance Capacity (EDN300/KH).
· Add (4) permanent positions and $1,755,525 in FY18 and $3,711,835 in FY19 in general funds for student transportation services statewide (EDN400/YA).
· Add $100,000 in general funds in FY18 for athletic travel to and from Molokai and Hana (EDN400/YA).
· Add $800,000 in general funds in each FY for environmental health services (EDN400/OC).
· Add $1,500,000 in general funds in each FY for utilities (EDN400/OE).
· Add $283,403 in FY18 and $207,445 in FY19 in general funds for personal services and food provisions for School Food Service programs (EDN400/MD).

PUBLIC LIBRARIES

· Add (3) permanent positions and $50,592 in FY18 and $101,184 in FY19 in general funds for Nanakuli Public Library (EDN407/QD).
· Add $500,000 in general funds in FY18 for repair and maintenance backlog (EDN407/QB).