Relating To Capital Improvement Projects For The Benefit Of The Fourteenth Representative District.
Summary
HB1326 is a capital improvement appropriations bill for the Fourteenth Representative District. It authorizes the issuance of up to $30 million in general obligation bonds for fiscal year 2025-2026 to fund three projects: dredging Ma'alaea Small Boat Harbor, repairing and restoring the Lahaina Small Boat Harbor water system and pavement, and extending the Lahaina Bypass north from Keawe Street. The bill allocates $6 million to Ma'alaea harbor dredging, $4 million to Lahaina harbor improvements, and $20 million to the Lahaina Bypass extension.
The measure directs the Department of Land and Natural Resources to expend the harbor-related funds and the Department of Transportation to expend the roadway funds. It also provides that the appropriations will not lapse at the end of the fiscal year, but any unencumbered funds remaining as of June 30, 2028, will lapse. The act would take effect on July 1, 2025, and functions as a district-specific infrastructure funding measure rather than a statewide policy change.
Impact
HB1326 would amend state spending authority by creating a new bond-funded capital improvement appropriation for district-specific infrastructure projects in Maui’s Fourteenth Representative District. It affects state fiscal law by authorizing general obligation bonds and directing the use of those funds through the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Department of Transportation for harbor and roadway improvements. The bill does not create new regulatory requirements, but it would increase state capital spending and add project-specific appropriations that remain available until the 2028 lapse date.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be a straightforward infrastructure funding measure with an implied supportive purpose. Its focus on harbor restoration and the Lahaina Bypass suggests a response to local transportation and recovery needs, which typically draws practical support from affected communities and agencies. No formal opposition, amendments, or recorded vote history is available here to indicate broader controversy.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are the size and allocation of the $30 million bond authorization, particularly the $20 million dedicated to the Lahaina Bypass extension versus the harbor projects. Questions could also arise over prioritization of local projects, the use of general obligation debt, and whether the proposed improvements best address immediate community needs. However, no committee transcript or vote record is provided, so no specific opponents or arguments are documented in the available materials.