Relating To Non-general Funds Of The Department Of Health.
Summary
HB1103 restructures certain Department of Health fee revenues and special funds. The bill keeps the existing fees for certified copies of birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates, as well as marriage license fees, but changes where portions of those revenues are deposited. Instead of sending the remaining certificate-copy fee balance to the state general fund, the bill directs that money to the vital statistics improvement special fund. It also redirects the $10 portion of each marriage license fee that had been credited to the birth defects special fund into the vital statistics improvement special fund.
The bill repeals the birth defects special fund and transfers any unencumbered and unexpended balance from that fund into the vital statistics improvement special fund. It also amends the vital statistics improvement special fund statute so that it may receive fees from both certificate copies and marriage licenses. Finally, it appropriates an unspecified amount from the vital statistics improvement special fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to support the operations of the vital statistics program, including the marriage license office.
Impact
HB1103 would amend Hawaii Revised Statutes sections 338-14.5, 338-14.6, and 572-5, and repeal section 321-426. In practical terms, it shifts revenue away from the state general fund and the repealed birth defects special fund and into the Department of Health’s vital statistics improvement special fund. The bill would also require the remaining balance in the birth defects special fund to be transferred to that fund, and it would authorize use of those moneys for vital statistics operations and marriage license administration.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears administrative and budgetary rather than controversial in substance. It is introduced by request and framed as a fund consolidation and revenue realignment measure for the Department of Health. No committee transcripts or recorded votes are available, so there is no documented public debate in the provided materials. The overall tone of the bill is neutral and operational, focused on funding continuity for vital records services.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the elimination of the birth defects special fund and the redirection of its fee revenue to the vital statistics improvement special fund. That change could raise questions about whether resources previously dedicated to the birth defects program would remain sufficient, even though the bill transfers any remaining balance and preserves fee revenue within the Department of Health. Another possible issue is the removal of the certificate-copy fee remainder from the state general fund, which reduces general fund revenue in favor of a dedicated special fund. No specific opposition or support is documented in the available record.