THE SENATE

KA AHA KENEKOA

 

THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2026

 

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

Senator Lynn DeCoite, Chair

Senator Glenn Wakai, Vice Chair

 

NOTICE OF HEARING

 

 

DATE:

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

TIME:

1:04 PM

PLACE:

Conference Room 229 & Videoconference

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

 

PHOTO ID REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE TO THE STATE CAPITOL

BUILDING HOURS: 7AM TO 5PM, MONDAY - FRIDAY

 

The Legislature is accepting written, videoconference, and in-person testimony at public hearings.

A live stream of all Senate Standing Committee meetings will be available on the Senate YouTube Channel.

 

 

A G E N D A

 

HB 2429, HD2

      (HSCR1115-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO TAX EXPENDITURE EVALUATION.

Requires tax expenditure disclosure statements to, and evaluation by, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for certain income tax credits and general excise and use tax exemptions.  Applies to tax years beginning after 12/31/2026.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD2)

 

EDT, WAM

HB 2546, HD2

      (HSCR1111-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO TAX CREDIT FOR RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.

Amends the tax credit for research activities by:  allowing taxpayers to claim all qualified research expenses without regard to prior-year expenses; increasing the annual cap; requiring the tax credit to be divided on a proportional basis if the annual statewide cap is reached; and requiring the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to establish an annual application period and notify each qualified high technology business applicant of the credit amount certified.  Applies retroactive to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD2)

 

EDT, WAM

HB 1576, HD1

      (HSCR781-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO FILMING.

Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to provide public notice of certain information whenever a production obtains a permit or enters into a memorandum of agreement or understanding with DBEDT to film a visually recorded production at certain locations.  Requires DBEDT to provide public notice of certain information whenever a production registers for pre-qualification or is determined to qualify for the Motion Picture, Digital Media, and Film Production Income Tax Credit and simultaneously post notice on a publicly accessible part of its website.  Allows individuals to sign up to receive notice by electronic mail or postal mail.  Provides an exemption for dispositions of lands set aside for filming and film studio operation from prior approval of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

EDT, WAM

 

Decision Making to follow, if time permits.

 

All testimony received by the Hawai‘i Senate is posted on the Hawai‘i Legislature's website, which is accessible to the public. Please do not include private information that you do not want disclosed to the public.

 

Please go to the Legislature's website, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov, to submit written testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. Create a free account on the website, or sign in to an existing account, then click on the "Participate" drop down menu and select the "Submit Testimony" option to get started. While submitting your written testimony, you will be prompted to indicate if you would also like to testify at the hearing in-person or remotely via videoconference.

 

Please note the following:

 

·         The number of oral testifiers and/or time allotted to each testifier may be limited by the Chair when necessary to adhere to the committee hearing schedule. We may not be able to accommodate everyone who requests to testify orally.

·         Testifiers for this hearing will be limited to 1 minute each.

 

If you wish to testify via videoconference during the hearing, please review the detailed step-by-step instructions for testimony procedures before you submit your written testimony. Here's a direct link to the instructions: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/docs/testimonyinstructions.pdf

 

For general help navigating the committee hearing process, please contact the Public Access Room at (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. You can also visit their website at https://lrb.hawaii.gov/par/.

 

For special assistance: The cable TV broadcast and/or live stream of this meeting will include closed captioning. If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, please call the committee clerk at the telephone number listed below or email EDTcommittee@capitol.hawaii.gov. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.

 

For amended notices: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are underscored.  If a measure is both underscored and stricken through, that measure has been deleted from the agenda.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 808-587-7225.

 

 

 

_____________________________________

Senator Lynn DeCoite

Chair