This amendment provides a formal statement confirming that new state bond issuances will stay within the legal debt limits set by the Hawaii Constitution.
Hawaii2026Enacted
HB2452
Hawaii State Bonds Authorization Act
Last scannedAug 24, 2026, 11:30 PM
In one sentence
This law authorizes Hawaii to issue new general obligation bonds and declares that doing so will not exceed the debt limit set in the state constitution.
What it does
- Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for the state.
- Declares that total bond payments, including principal and interest, will stay within constitutional limits at the time of issuance.
- Lists amounts of bonds already authorized but not yet issued by the state.
- Outlines a proposed schedule for issuing new bonds over several fiscal years.
Who it affects
- The State of Hawaii government
- State agencies managing budgets and finances
Limits and unknowns
- The specific dollar amounts for bonds, revenues, and debt limits are blank in this text.
- Exact dates and fiscal years for bond issuance schedules are not filled in with numbers.
- This document does not list the specific projects that will use the borrowed money.
Plain language
Terms to know
- General Obligation Bonds
- Bonds issued by the state to raise money, which must be paid back with interest.
- Debt Limit
- The maximum amount of debt allowed by the constitution based on a percentage of average general fund revenues from the three preceding fiscal years.
- General Fund Revenues
- Money collected that goes into the state's main account, used to calculate how much debt is allowed.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
RELATING TO STATE BONDS. State Bonds; State Budget Authorizes issuance of general obligation bonds. Makes findings required by Article VII, Section 13, of the Hawaii State Constitution to declare that the issuance of authorized bonds will not cause the debt limit to be exceeded. (CD1)
Official activity
Bill history
- Act 232, on 07/10/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1334).H
- Act 232, 07/10/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1334).S
- Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).S
- Transmitted to Governor.H
- Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).H
- Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.S
- Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Iwamoto voting no (1) and none excused (0).H
- 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26S
- Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 141-26).S
- Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.H
- Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 141-26) as amended in (CD 1).H
- The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Moriwaki, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Kanuha.S
- The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Takenouchi, Kitagawa, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.H
- Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 11:00AM; Conference Room 309.S
- Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-30-26 11:00AM; CR 309.S
- Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 713).H
- Senate Conferees Appointed: Moriwaki Chair; Kanuha, Fevella.S
- Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).S
- House Conferees Appointed: Takenouchi Chair; Kitagawa, Reyes Oda.H
- Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).S
Changes
Amendments
2 stored
This amendment provides a formal statement that Hawaii's new and existing general obligation bond plans will not exceed the debt limits set by the state constitution.