The House approved its version of the state budget Wednesday, prioritizing health, safety and education.
The budget also focuses on a backlog of repair and deferred maintenance projects, which are estimated to cost roughly $1.3 billion.
“These are more short-term fixes,” said Finance Committee Chair Kyle Yamashita of Maui during a press conference Wednesday in Honolulu regarding the repairs. “The intention is not to immediately spend the money, but to strategically tackle these projects to ensure that the state receives the best value while keeping the projects’ timetables in mind.”
The press conference was attended by Big Island Reps. Greggor Ilagan and Nicole Lowen.
The budget allocates over $90 million for state hospital projects, which includes Kona Community Hospital improvements and the expansion of Hilo Medical Center.
Other allocations include $11.5 million for after-school programs, $27 million for Medicaid home- and community-based services for two years, $90 million for roads and structural maintenance for two years, $40 million for the Department of Hawaiian Homelands, $132 million for wastewater and safe drinking water projects, $180 million for the University of Hawaii, and $22.7 million for the PROMISE program, a scholarship that covers tuition and other costs for local students pursuing higher education.
“Our budget provides additional funding to expand the PROMISE program at the community college level, as well as expand the program at four-year institutions,” said Finance Committee Vice Chair Lisa Kitagawa of Oahu, who added UH-Hilo would be included in the expansion.
The fiscal year began last July with a state budget surplus of nearly $2 billion.
“It’s actually very difficult to craft a budget when you have a surplus,” said House Speaker Scott Saiki. “There are extra demands that come into play, and extra needs that are made clear to us.”
Gov. Josh Green’s budget requests were submitted to the House on Feb. 13, but according to Yamashita, that was too late for the House to properly vet and include them in its version of the budget.
“We decided to make a placeholder in most of those requests,” Yamashita said. “For right now, I think that was a wise move because we have more time to work with the department and also work with our chairs and other members of the House to vet through that process.”
The House also addressed its Majority Caucus package, House Bill 300, which prioritizes several bills introduced this session.
Seven bills are included in the package, such as increasing the earned income tax credit, creating a mobile child and adolescent crisis outreach team, and establishing a low-interest loan program for financing renewable energy systems like solar.
“This will really help our low- and moderate-income families to be able to participate in this renewable energy transition,” said Lowen, who serves as chair of the Energy and Environmental Protection committee. “Not only will this lower people’s electric bills, it will increase resilience, it will reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels, it will create green jobs in our economy and keep dollars in Hawaii.”
Other bills in the package would increase the rental housing revolving fund to help with grants and loans on mixed-income rental projects, as well as a requirement for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to digitize its application process for permits, licensing and reservations.
Including the Majority Caucus package, 453 House bills have officially crossed over to the Senate for additional review this legislative session.
Two of the House bills continuing on are House Bill 551, which would end the sale of flavored tobacco in Hawaii, and House Bill 537, which would make taxes on electronic smoking devices and e-liquids the same as taxes on tobacco products.
A group of nearly 100 keiki, including students from Hilo High, Keaau High, Honokaa High and Kamehameha Schools Hawaii, rallied at the state Capitol on Wednesday to urge legislators to pass the two bills.
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com.