Relating To Non-general Funds Of The Department Of Health.
Summary
SB1422 revises several Department of Health fee and fund allocation provisions tied to vital records and marriage licenses. The bill keeps the existing fees for certified copies of birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates, but changes where the money goes: instead of sending the remaining amount from those certificate fees to the state general fund, the remainder is directed to the Vital Statistics Improvement Special Fund. It also updates the marriage license fee distribution so that a portion of each license fee is deposited into that same Vital Statistics Improvement Special Fund.
The bill repeals the Birth Defects Special Fund and transfers any unencumbered, unexpended balance from that fund into the Vital Statistics Improvement Special Fund. It also amends the statute governing the Vital Statistics Improvement Special Fund so that it may receive fees from both certificate copies and marriage licenses. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.
Impact
SB1422 changes the allocation of Department of Health revenues under Hawaii Revised Statutes sections 338-14.5, 338-14.6, and 572-5. It removes the general fund as the recipient of the residual certificate-copy fee revenue and redirects those receipts to the Vital Statistics Improvement Special Fund, while also redirecting a $10 share of marriage license fees to that fund. The bill repeals section 321-426, eliminating the statutory Birth Defects Special Fund and moving any remaining balance into the Vital Statistics Improvement Special Fund, thereby consolidating funding streams within DOH non-general funds.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and moved through the Legislature without recorded opposition in the available votes. It passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee 5-0, the Senate Ways and Means Committee 10-0, and both conference committees 3-0, indicating consistent bipartisan approval. The absence of recorded dissent suggests the measure was viewed as a routine fiscal and fund-structure adjustment rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
The main substantive issue is the reallocation of fee revenue away from the state general fund and into a dedicated special fund, which can raise questions about reduced general-fund flexibility versus improved support for vital statistics operations. Another point is the repeal of the Birth Defects Special Fund and the transfer of its remaining balance, which may affect stakeholders connected to the former program’s funding stream. No specific opposition is reflected in the available committee or vote records, so any contention appears limited to the policy choice of consolidating and redirecting Department of Health revenues.