Hawaiʻi’s biennium budget advances conference committees
The Hawai‘i State Senate and House of Representatives on Monday approved a joint version of the state’s biennium budget bill, HB 300 CD1, allocating nearly $40 billion in funding for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
The budget measure, finalized in a conference committee after both chambers passed different versions, now moves to a final reading before heading to the Governor’s desk for approval.
Notable FY26 and FY27 budget highlights for Maui include a total $3.2 million for Kamehameha III temporary school in Lahaina and $18 million for Maui Health System.
The state’s capital improvement projects revised budgets set aside funds for Lahaina small boat harbor, and $35 million for the third Hawaiʻi State Veterans Home on Maui (plus $58 million in federal funds).
For affordable housing statewide, the capital improvements budget calls for spending $240 million for financing programs, such as the Rental Housing Revolving Fund and Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund.
The Department of Law Enforcement was budgeted $2.4 million over the biennium for its Fireworks Task Force.
Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, emphasized collaboration in crafting the spending plan.
“This budget shows what we can accomplish when we work together,” said Dela Cruz, who represents Senate District 17. “Whether it’s food security, access to healthcare, or helping small businesses grow, this budget is about making sure every part of our state has the opportunity to thrive.”
House Finance Chair Kyle Yamashita, who represents House District 12 of Upcountry Maui, called the plan “responsible and forward-thinking.”
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD“This budget addresses the critical needs of our communities including housing, agriculture, natural resources, transportation, public safety and economic development,” said Yamashita. “It strengthens our safety net and sets a strong foundation as we assess federal impacts on the state.”
HB 300 CD1 Appropriations
General Fund
- FY2026: $10.593 billion
- FY2027: $10.637 billion
All Means of Financing
- FY2026: $19.940 billion
- FY2027: $19.763 billion
Amounts listed below are the total across all means of finance for the biennium.
Department of Accounting & General Services
- $3,200,000 – Kamehameha III temporary school
- $7,350,000 and one position – Streaming of all State and Local Boards and Commission meetings
- $5,530,000 – Microsoft 365 G5 licenses
- $10,000,000 – Hawai‘i Information Portal CherryRoad Enterprise
- $3,200,000 – Cybersecurity Risk Mitigation
- $2,000,000 – Independent Verification and Validation
- $3,773,000 and four positions – Data/AI Office, AI Risk Management Tools, Geospatial License Renewal
- $2,255,500 and two positions – Cemetery Management Office
- $2,495,000 and two positions – Electronic Filing System Upgrade
- $4,103,275 – Voting System Contract, Digital Voter Information Guide, Electronic Registration Information Center
- $10,000,000 – Expansion of 911 services to new/emerging technologies
- $3,306,644 and six positions – System support for Enterprise Financial System Project
- $1,601,280 and 10 positions – Business Transformation Office
- $150,000 – Business plan for revenue generation development
Department of Agriculture
- $26,649,462 and 44 positions – Biosecurity
- $556,000 – Vehicle Replacement
- $2,000,000 – Irrigation Systems Revolving Fund supplement
Department of the Attorney General
- $590,952 and four positions – Sex Offender Registry Program
- $4,000,000 – Litigation Expenses
- $885,938 and three positions – Charities Division
- $458,298 and two positions – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
- $468,308 and two positions – Hawai‘i Correctional System Oversight Commission
- $6,200,000 – Child Support Enforcement Services
Department of Budget & Finance
- $547,920 and three positions – Financial Administration
- $465,084 and five positions – Office of Federal Awards Management
- $1,576,100 and one position – Employee’s Retirement System
- $431,157 and one position – Hawai‘i Employer Union Trust Fund
- $3,307,382 – Salary increases for Office of the Deputy Public Defender
Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
- $2,900,000 – Healthcare Workforce Development Program
- $1,730,000 – Made in Hawai‘i Workforce Development Program
- $1,977,020 – Hawai‘i Convention Center R&M Projects
- $1,300,000 – Military and Community Relations Office
- $2,000,000 – Manufacturing Assistance Program
- $2,000,000 – Hawai‘i Small Business Innovation Research Phase II & III
- $2,000,000 – Accelerator Grant Program
- $334,200 – Computer software
- $169,080 and one position – Agribusiness Development and Research
- $4,116,236 – College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience contracting
Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs
- $12,000,000 – King Kalakaua Building
- $50,000 – Interstate Medical Licensure Compact
Department of Defense
- $858,000 – Computer Hardware Refresh
- $230,000 – Distributed Antenna System upgrades
- $4,466,126 – Youth Challenge Academy
Department of Education
- $150,000,000 – Deferred maintenance
- $4,002,384 and 13 positions – Kaiapuni Program
- $11,781,786 – Athletics (travel, coaching salaries, athletic training supplies, flag football, equity, trainer at Kūlanihāko‘i HS)
- $2,200,000 – English Learner Standards
- $41,980,000 – Summer Programs
- $7,550,000 – Workforce Readiness
- $999,600 (each year) – Advanced Placement Exams
- $20,000,000 – Skilled Nursing services
- $3,400,000 – Mental Health & Social-Emotional Wellbeing
- $3,579,360 and 20 positions – Mental health interventionists
- $927,248 and six positions – Math & financial literacy curriculum and instructional support
- $30,000,000 – Electricity costs
- $6,500,000 – Contract cost increases
- $3,000,000 – Soil contamination mitigation
- $13,000,000 – Nighttime school security and enhancements
- $8,000,000 – Hoʻākea program
- $1,395,472 and four positions – McKinley Community School for Adults
Department of Education – Libraries
- $2,400,000 – Security Services contracts
- $868,000 – Temporary library locations (Wahiawa, Pearl City, Makawao)
- $1,000,000 – Repairs and maintenance
- $750,000 – Automated material handling system
Department of Education – Executive Office on Early Learning
- $13,264,299 and 108 positions – Public pre-kindergarten expansion
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
- $836,400 and three positions – Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program
- $2,400,324 – Personal services
Capital Improvement Projects (CIP)
Total Capital Improvement Funding (All Means of Financing):
- FY2026: $3.38 billion
- FY2027: $2.33 billion
General Obligation & Revenue Bonds:
- FY2026: $1.43 billion
- FY2027: $423 million
Housing Initiatives
- $240M – Rental and Dwelling Unit Revolving Funds
- $68M – Ka Lei Momi Development Project
- $37M – Kauhale Development Projects
- $35M – Kupuna supportive housing
Agriculture
- $48M – Agricultural land acquisition
- $22M – State irrigation and reservoir safety
- $7M – Halawa animal industry facility
Defense
- $35M – Third Hawaiʻi State Veterans Home (Maui), plus $58M federal funds
- $10M – Statewide siren maintenance and upgrades
- $8M – National Guard Youth Challenge Academy (Kalaeloa) improvements
Economic Development & Tourism
- $36M – Convention Center repairs and upgrades
- $29M – Post-harvest/food processing facilities
- $21M – Small animal slaughter, processing, and storage facility
Education
- $71M – Deferred maintenance
- $40M – Health and safety improvements
- $30M – Military-serving schools (plus $120M federal)
- $16M – Compliance upgrades statewide
- $18M – Support facility improvements
- $50M – Project completion funds
- $72M – Regional kitchens for school lunches
- $20M – Pre-K classroom expansion
- $115M – Other education priorities
Environmental Sustainability
- $7M – Climate change and sea level rise adaptation
- $16M – Watershed protection
- $10M – State parks
- $8M – Drinking water aquifer monitoring
- $28M – Small boat harbor upgrades (including Lahaina)
Hawaiian Home Lands
- $20M – Repair and maintenance projects statewide
Health
- $115M – Statewide healthcare services, including:
- $25M – Keaʻau Benioff Medical Center
- $13M – Kona Community Hospital emergency department
- $40M – Repairs at Hawaiʻi State Hospital
- $132M – Wastewater and safe drinking water projects (includes federal funds)
Libraries
- $52M – State Library System upgrades
Public Safety
- $7M – ADA compliance upgrades
- $28M – Consolidated health/mental health care unit at Halawa
- $5M – Women’s Community Correctional Center
- $30M – New Oʻahu Community Correctional Facility
- $10M – Security perimeter upgrades
- $4.5M – DOCARE (Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement)
Technology Modernization
- $35M – Enterprise Financial Accounting System
- $10M – Benefits Eligibility System
Transportation
- $1.78B – Airports
- $142M – Commercial harbors
- $1.5B – State highway system
University of Hawaiʻi System
- $118M – Student housing (UH Mānoa)
- $59M – Modernization (UH Mānoa)
- $10M – Athletic facilities (UH Mānoa)
- $10M – College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience
- $40M – Community colleges statewide
- $15M – Housing (Kauaʻi CC)
- $15M – Improvements at UH Hilo
- $6M – Improvements at UH West Oʻahu