Hawaii House Bill HB1044

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/25
• Refer: 1/23/25

Caption

Relating To Funding Adjustments For State Programs.

Summary

HB1044 is an administration-requested measure that makes emergency appropriations and funding adjustments for state programs in fiscal year 2024-2025. The bill explains that prior budget acts had included a proviso allowing departments to transfer funds among programs with legislative notice, but that proviso was repealed and not reinstated. According to the bill, the loss of that flexibility has created a funding emergency because departments cannot easily shift resources to respond to changing conditions and fourth-quarter operating shortfalls. To address that problem, the bill appropriates additional general funds as emergency appropriations and makes commensurate reductions elsewhere so the overall changes remain budget neutral. It is intended to align program funding with anticipated levels of activity and to cover shortfalls in existing programs without increasing the total budget. The bill is effective upon approval and is presented as needing immediate passage under the governor’s constitutional authority.

Impact

HB1044 would amend the state’s current appropriations framework for Act 164 (2023), as amended by Act 230 (2024), by adjusting funding levels across various state programs and adding emergency general fund appropriations for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. It does not create a new program or permanent statutory entitlement; instead, it changes how existing operating funds are allocated and used within the budget act. The practical effect is to restore some fiscal flexibility for departments facing end-of-year shortfalls while keeping the measure budget neutral overall.

Sentiment

The available context suggests the bill is generally supportive and administrative in nature, with no recorded committee testimony or votes indicating opposition. The governor’s request for immediate passage signals urgency and executive support, and the bill’s stated purpose is framed as a technical budget fix to address an emergency created by the prior repeal of a transfer proviso. Because there are no transcripts or vote records provided, there is no evidence of broader public debate in the available materials.

Contention

The main point of contention implied by the bill text is the loss of authority for departments to transfer funds between programs, which the bill says has limited their ability to respond to changing conditions and caused a funding emergency. Supporters would likely favor restoring flexibility and preventing operating shortfalls, while any critics might question whether emergency appropriations are being used to compensate for budget management issues or whether the Legislature should instead reinstate a transfer proviso directly. The bill itself emphasizes that the adjustments are budget neutral, suggesting an effort to reduce controversy over increased spending.