Last night, Senate and House conferees approved a final version of the State's Supplemental Budget (HB1800 HD1 SD1 CD1). This measure includes operating, capital improvement projects (CIP), and grants-in-aid monies for fiscal year 2024-2025 (FY25).
The bill includes:
An operating budget of $10,395,945,997 in general funds and $19,209,528,184 through all methods of funding (MOF) for FY25;
A CIP budget of $1,452,550,000 in general obligation bond funds and $4,505,451,000 through all MOF for FY25; and
$10,000,000 (operating) and $20,000,000 (CIP) in grants-in-aid.
"The budget bill that we passed today balances the ongoing needs of Maui, while also preparing our State for future disasters and working to diversify our economy and workforce to keep our keiki in Hawaiʻi," said Senator Donovan Dela Cruz (Senate District 17 – Portion of Mililani, Mililani Mauka, portion of Waipi‘o Acres, Launani Valley, Wahiawā, Whitmore Village), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "As with any budget, difficult decisions must be made, but we are confident that the strategic forward-thinking collaboration between the Legislature and administration resulted in a budget that is proactive in developing a diversified economy and stabilizes core services and programs to address the needs of our most vulnerable residents."
"We approached the crafting of the state budget with careful consideration, reflecting the House's dedication to fiscal prudence, accountability, and transparency," said Representative Kyle T. Yamashita (House District 12 – Upcountry Maui), Chair of the House Committee on Finance. "As we commenced this legislative session, our immediate focus remained to address the Maui wildfire recovery efforts, prioritizing safety and rehabilitation of our communities while ensuring core services for our state were not neglected," Chair Yamashita continued. "Despite funding uncertainties, the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget reflects our shared dedication to ensuring adequate resources for mental health services, healthcare for the disabled and elderly, business and workforce development, childcare and education, affordable housing, and public welfare. Furthermore, we have made significant investments in biosecurity to protect our land and natural resources, which reinforces the urgency of safeguarding our environment against invasive pests that endanger Hawaiʻi's native species and communities. Designating a centralized agency to bolster the defense of our lands and shores will protect our natural habitat and preserve the well-being of our state."
House Bill 1800 CD1 will be up for a final vote in both chambers before being transmitted to the governor for consideration.
Notable budget highlights include appropriations for the following agencies:
Department of Agriculture
Converting 46.0 positions from special funds to general funds for biosecurity
Converting 20.0 positions from revolving funds to general funds for biosecurity
Converting position from permanent to temporary and increase trust fund ceiling by $93,434 for a grant writer
Adding $1,500,000 for Da Bux Program
Adding 3.0 positions and $1,000,000 for meat inspections
Department of Accounting and General Services
Adding $400,000 for menstrual products and dispensers
Adding $102,200 in general funds and increase federal fund ceiling by $102,200 for the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts
Adding $17,000,000 in general funds for Insurance
Adding $2,500,000 for Microsoft G5 licenses
Department of Attorney General
Adding $2,456,750 for Career Criminal and Victim Witness Assistance Programs
Adding 4.0 positions and $462,134 for the Hawaiʻi Correctional System Oversight Commission
Adding 4.0 positions and $336,800 for the Civil Recoveries Division
Adding 5.0 positions and $525,796 for the Criminal Justice Division
Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
Adding $5,000,000 for high pressure processing equipment
Adding $250,000 to continue the Office of International Affairs
Adding 30.0 positions and $63,000,000 for the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority
Increasing special fund ceiling by $34,000,000 for the Hawaiʻi Convention Center
Adding $6,000,000 for HTDC grant programs
Adding $6,000,000 for geothermal energy exploration
Adding 2.0 positions and $210,000 for the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority
Adding $5,000,000 for supportive housing
Adding $25,000,000 to deposit into the Rental Housing Revolving Fund
Adding 1.0 position and $132,126 Climate-Resilient Food and Product Innovation Network Manager
Adding 3.0 positions and $750,000 for East Kauaʻi Irrigation System maintenance
Adding $250,000 for a feed lot proof of concept
Department of Budget and Finance
Adding $13,356,628 for broadband access state match
Increasing special fund ceiling by $49,730,000 for the Mass Transit Special Fund
Adding $240,000 to upgrade senior managerial positions
Adding $275,076 for budget analyst position upgrades
Adding $126,000 for the procurement of a case management software for the Office of the Public Defender
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Increase special fund ceiling by $5,880,000 for the Kalakaua building rooftop renovations
Increase special fund ceiling by $2,500,000 for website redesign and call center
Increase special fund ceiling by $1,175,000 for increase in operating costs
Department of Defense
Adding $6,919,624 for Hazard Mitigation and $24,700,000 in matching federal funds
Adding $1,430,900 for utilities at Joint Base Pearl Harbor, Kauaʻi, and Kalaeloa
Adding $497,000 for utilities at Hawaiʻi Army National Guard facilities
Department of Education
Increasing federal fund ceiling by $130,000 and 2.0 positions for the Executive Office on Early Learning
Adding $10,000,000 for workers' compensation
Adding $14,925,959 for educational assistants and vice principals
Adding $6,000,000 for weighted student formula for small and remote school
Adding $413,915 for equitable participation in AP courses and exams
Adding $12,931,380 for the Weighted Student Formula and English Language Learners
Adding $579,450 to enhance middle school education
Adding $150,000 for student conferences
Adding $63,082 for JROTC travel for programs on neighbor islands
Adding $1,300,000 for health technicians
Adding $2,500,000 for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher Differentials
Adding $268,260 for CTE Seal of Biliteracy
Adding $20,990,000 for summer learning hubs
Adding $1,300,000 for speech-pathology services
Adding $2,476,720 for workforce readiness
Adding $400,000 for professional development for trauma-informed care
Adding $500,000 for professional development for computer science
Adding $1,700,000 for social-emotional surveys and mobile applications
Adding $750,000 for environmental services
Adding $3,250,000 for contract service increases
Adding $15,000,000 for electricity
Adding $18,000,000 for food services
Adding $18,266,346 for bus contracts
Adding $5,000,000 for safety and security
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
Adding $808,204 for 6.0 Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act positions
Department of Human Services
Adding $260,000 for utilities at the Hawaiʻi Youth Correctional Facility
Adding $15,525,000 for Medicaid Home and Community Based Service contract increases
Adding $1,500,000 for rent supplement program
Adding $1,320,000 for Homeless Programs Office contract increases
Adding $10,500,000 for HPHA repair and maintenance
Adding $611,850 for Post Adoption support services
Adding $6,500,000 for Applied Behavioral Analysis Medicaid payments for children with autism
Adding $3,000,000 for Mobile Treatment Clinics in ʻOhana Zones
Adding $1,000,000 for youth mental health services
Department of Human Resources Development
Adding 7.0 positions and $872,112 for increased recruitment efforts
Adding $50,000 for employee training
Department of Health
Adding $122,556 for 2.0 positions for Kalaupapa
Adding $8,880,000 for new and existing group home services
Adding $6,800,000 for psychiatric in-patient services
Adding $2,150,665 and 4.0 positions to implement upgraded safety and security measures at the Hawaiʻi State Hospital
Adding $6,657,400 for the ʻIwilei behavioral health crisis center and supportive housing services
Adding $18,800,000 for contracts for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division
Adding $4,212,751 for emergency medical services statewide
Adding $17,400,000 for Maui Health Systems
Adding $2,500,000 for general administration
Adding $1,000,000 for electricity at the State Laboratory
Adding $230,000 for the digitization of health records
Adding $100,000 for an Early Intervention Working Group for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing
Adding $2,000,000 for a 2-year Rural Medical Air Transport Pilot Project
Adding $200,000 for Language Interpreter Certification Classes
Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
Increasing ceiling by $2,200,000 for Unemployment Insurance
Increasing ceiling by $300,000 for Labor Law Enforcement Special Fund
Transferring 7.0 positions and $6,983,896 from the Workforce Development Division to the Workforce Development Council as LBR135
Changing means of financing from federal to general funds for 4.0 Employment Service Specialists for the Hele Imua Internship Program
Transferring 7.00 positions and $695,201 from various programs to re-establish the Research and Statistics Office as LBR901
Increasing ceiling by $200,000 for Veteran career counseling
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Adding $5,850,000 for forest and resource management
Increasing special fund ceiling by $800,000 for sport fishing
Increasing special fund ceiling by $2,000,000 for State Parks
Increasing special fund ceiling by $10,000,000 for State Parks
Adding $1,500,000 for Act 90 land transfers
Adding $475,000 for maintenance and operation of wells
Adding 3.0 positions and $750,000 for the Red Hill Water Alliance Initiative (WAI)
Adding $451,732 for DLNR's Administrative Office
Adding 7.0 positions and $647,296 for DLNR's Human Resources Office
Department of Law Enforcement
Increasing interdepartmental transfer fund ceiling by $6,567,591 and 50.0 positions for security at harbors and airports
Adding $1,265,600 for the Illegal Fireworks Taskforce
Adding $825,000 for the gun buyback program
Adding $1,500,000 for Law Enforcement Training Division
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Adding $50,000 for a Foster Pet Program
Adding $317,000 for electricity
Adding $42,864 for electricity
Adding $75,000 for water and sewer
Department of Taxation
Adding $126,192 for 1.0 Senior Software Developer
Adding $11,800 for the Multi-Factor Authentication System
Adding $381,727 for office supplies, subscriptions, and license renewals
Adding $98,000 for security equipment and vehicle contracts
Department of Transportation
Increasing special fund ceiling by $5,345,741 for security at airports
Increasing special fund ceiling by $244,370 for security at harbors
Increasing special fund ceiling by $244,370 for security at harbors
Increasing special fund ceiling by $244,370 for security at harbors
Increasing special fund ceiling by $244,370 for security at harbors
Increasing special fund ceiling by $244,370 for security at harbors
Increasing special fund ceiling by $900,000 for roadside maintenance contracts
Increasing special fund ceiling by $3,000,000 for roadside maintenance
Increasing special fund ceiling by $300,000 for Hawaiʻi County police services for State Highways
Adding $5,000,000 for stored property and debris removal program
University of Hawaiʻi
Increasing special fund ceiling by $1,208,020 and 4.0 positions for campus safety systemwide
Adding $510,000 and 6.0 positions for systemwide mental health services
Adding $1,068,821 and 6.50 positions for a UHM-UHWO Nursing collaboration
Adding $142,500 and 4.0 positions for an Education Studies and Indigenous Teacher Education Program
Adding 4.00 positions and $925,000 for neighbor island health access and pathway extension
Adding 3.0 positions and $250,528 an incarcerated students' program
Adding $2,874,177 for Statewide Access Master Plans
Adding $3,700,000 for Community College Hawaiʻi Promise Program
Adding $1,000,000 for wildfire mapping and vulnerability assessments
Adding $125,000 for ornamental red ginger research