HB1442 establishes a new Office of Entrepreneurship in Hawaii law and places it initially within the Office of the Governor, with a planned permanent administrative placement in the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism beginning July 1, 2027. The office would be led by a governor-nominated, senate-confirmed director with experience in business, marketing, or community economic development, and would be responsible for coordinating entrepreneurship policy, administering funds, applying for grants, contracting for services, and advising agencies on entrepreneurship-related legislation and programs.
The bill also directs the office to support businesses that have been operating for no more than five years by serving as a point of contact with state agencies, helping them navigate regulatory requirements, and encouraging state contracting opportunities for these newer businesses. It requires annual reports to the legislature beginning in 2027 on contract awards, participation by women-, minority-, and veteran-owned businesses, and recommendations for improving access to state contracts and entrepreneurship conditions across the state. In addition, the bill amends the Hawaii Film and Creative Industries Development Special Fund to allow a new partnership program supporting new businesses in film, media, electronic sports, and creative industries, and it includes an unspecified general fund appropriation for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.
The bill would change Hawaii law by creating a new statutory chapter for the Office of Entrepreneurship and by revising section 201-113, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to expand permissible uses of the film and creative industries special fund. It would affect state agencies involved in economic development, procurement, and business assistance, while also creating reporting obligations and a policy framework aimed at improving access to state contracts for early-stage businesses. The measure is structured as an administrative and economic development initiative rather than a regulatory restriction.
The overall sentiment reflected in the bill text is strongly supportive of entrepreneurship and small-business development, with the legislature framing the measure as a response to high startup barriers, permitting delays, and business failure rates in Hawaii. No committee transcripts or votes were provided, so there is no recorded public debate or formal vote history to indicate broader support or opposition. Based on the bill itself, the tone is pro-growth and pro-business, with an emphasis on helping new firms survive and expand.
The main points of potential contention are likely to be the creation of a new office, the cost of the appropriation, and the policy choice to encourage that five percent of state contracts go to businesses operating for five years or less. The bill also raises possible questions about how the office would coordinate with existing agencies, how the contract goal would be implemented, and whether using the film and creative industries special fund for entrepreneurship-related programming is the best use of those resources. Because no hearing testimony or votes are available, these concerns are inferred from the bill’s structure rather than documented opposition.
HB1442 would add a new chapter to the Hawaii Revised Statutes establishing the Office of Entrepreneurship and defining its duties, leadership structure, reporting requirements, and authority to coordinate with other state agencies. It would also amend section 201-113, HRS, to expand the Hawaii Film and Creative Industries Development Special Fund so it can support a new partnership program for businesses in film, media, electronic sports, and creative industries that have been operating for no more than five years. The bill further appropriates general funds for the office’s startup and operation, affecting state budgeting and administrative organization.
The bill’s overall sentiment is favorable toward entrepreneurship, small business formation, and economic diversification. The findings section presents the measure as a response to barriers such as fees, permitting delays, and high startup failure rates, and the bill’s structure reflects a policy preference for active state support of new businesses. No committee discussion or vote record was provided, so there is no documented opposition or amendment debate to assess beyond the bill’s own pro-entrepreneurship framing.
Likely areas of contention include the creation of a new executive office and whether it duplicates existing economic development functions, the need for a general fund appropriation, and the proposal to encourage five percent of state contracts for businesses in operation five years or less. Some may also question the use of the Hawaii Film and Creative Industries Development Special Fund for a broader entrepreneurship program, or how the office would measure and enforce its contract and reporting goals. Because no transcripts or votes were provided, these are potential rather than documented points of disagreement.