RELATING TO HIGHWAY REVENUE BONDS.

Budget Taxes

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-04-17
Official status: Re-Referred to TRS, WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details on specific projects that will receive funding from these bonds.

Highway Revenue Bonds

This bill allows the Department of Transportation to issue Highway Revenue Bonds for highway capital improvement projects.

What This Bill Does

Restores the ability for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue Highway Revenue Bonds.
Specifies that bond proceeds can be used to cover interest during construction, establish reserves, and pay issuance expenses.
Requires repayment of the bonds from revenues generated by highways and related facilities, as well as federal funds.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Transportation
Highway users who pay fuel taxes, vehicle weight taxes, and registration fees

Terms To Know

Revenue Bonds: Bonds that are repaid from the revenue generated by a specific project or facility.
Capital Improvement Projects: Major projects to improve, expand, or modernize infrastructure such as highways.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much money can be raised through these bonds.
It is unclear what specific highway improvement projects will receive funding from this authorization.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment allows the Department of Transportation to issue highway revenue bonds for capital improvement projects, with specific provisions about funding sources and expenses.

Adds a new section (SECTION 15.4) to Act 164 that permits the Department of Transportation to issue highway revenue bonds for authorized highway capital improvement projects.
Specifies that the principal and interest on these bonds can be paid from various revenue sources, including highway fuel taxes, vehicle weight taxes, and federal funds.
Allows the governor to use the state highway fund to finance projects designated as highway revenue bond-funded.

The amendment's effective date is set for July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a placeholder or error.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment allows the Department of Transportation to issue highway revenue bonds for capital improvement projects, with funding from various sources including state and federal funds.

Adds a new section allowing the Department of Transportation to issue highway revenue bonds for specific highway projects.
Specifies that bond proceeds can be used to cover interest during construction, establish reserves, and pay issuance expenses.
Designates revenues from highways, fuel taxes, vehicle fees, and federal funds as sources to repay the bonds.

The amendment's effective date of January 1, 3000, is unusual and may be a placeholder or error.

Bill History

2026-04-17 S
Re-Referred to TRS, WAM.
2026-04-02 S
Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
2026-04-01 H
House Conferee(s) discharged.
2026-03-20 H
Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409).
2026-03-20 S
Senate Conferee(s) discharged.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-04-25 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 5:15 PM; Conference Room 225.
2025-04-25 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 3:30PM in Conference Room 411.
2025-04-25 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 2:00PM in Conference Room 411.
2025-04-25 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 12:30PM in Conference Room 329.
2025-04-25 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 11:30AM in Conference Room 329.
2025-04-24 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 329.
2025-04-23 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-24-25 10:30AM; Conference Room 329.
2025-04-22 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-23-25 10:30AM; Conference Room 329.
2025-04-21 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-22-25 10:35AM; Conference Room 329.
2025-04-17 H
Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Monday, 04-21-25 9:00AM in conference room 329.
2025-04-16 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 810).
2025-04-16 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Lee, C. Chairs; Aquino Co-Chair; Elefante, DeCorte.
2025-04-15 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 732).
2025-04-14 H
House Conferees Appointed: Kila, Grandinetti Co-Chairs; Pierick.
2025-04-11 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 704).
2025-04-10 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2025-04-08 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 742) in amended form (SD 1).
2025-04-08 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2025-04-04 S
One Day Notice 04-08-25.
2025-04-04 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1792) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2025-04-02 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-03-27 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-02-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2025-03-21 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2025-03-21 S
Reported from TCA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1316) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2025-03-18 S
The committee(s) on TCA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TCA were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-03-14 S
The committee(s) on TCA has scheduled a public hearing on 03-18-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2025-03-04 S
Referred to TCA, WAM.
2025-03-04 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-03-04 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 151).
2025-02-28 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-28 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 921), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-21 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 13 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Lee, M., Alcos, Ward.
2025-02-19 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Friday, 02-21-25 12:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-12 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Sayama, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-12 H
Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 507) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-11 H
The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Grandinetti, Evslin, Kitagawa, La Chica, Miyake, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.
2025-02-07 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by TRN on Tuesday, 02-11-25 9:30AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to TRN, FIN, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO HIGHWAY REVENUE BONDS.
DOT; Budget Provisions; Highway Revenue Bonds; Bond Authorization
Restores the revenue bond authorization for the Department of Transportation to issue Highway Revenue Bonds for highway capital improvement projects authorized in Act 164, SLH 2023, as amended by Act 230, SLH 2024. Takes effect 1/1/3000. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1164

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1164

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HIGHWAY REVENUE BONDS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION 1.
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Part VII of
Act 164, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, as amended by Act 230, Session Laws of
Hawaii 2024, is further amended by adding a new section 15.4 to read as
follows:

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SECTION 15.4.
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HIGHWAY REVENUE BONDS.
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The department of transportation may issue
highway revenue bonds for highway capital improvement projects authorized in
part II and listed in part V of this Act and designated to be financed by
revenue bond funds or by general obligation bond funds with the debt service
cost to be paid from special funds, in a principal amount as shall be required
to yield the amounts appropriated for the capital improvement projects and, if
so determined by the department and approved by the governor, any additional
principal amount as may be deemed necessary by the department to pay interest
on the highway revenue bonds during the estimated period of construction of the
capital improvement projects for which the highway revenue bonds are issued, to
establish, maintain, or increase reserves for the highway revenue bonds or
highway revenue bonds heretofore authorized (whether authorized and issued or
authorized and still unissued), and to pay all or any part of the expenses
related to the issuance of the highway revenue bonds.
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The highway revenue bonds shall be issued
pursuant to part III of chapter 39, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as amended.
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The principal of and interest on the highway
revenue bonds, to the extent not paid from the proceeds of the highway revenue
bonds, shall be payable from and secured by the revenues derived from highways
and related facilities under the ownership of the State or operated and managed
by the department; from the highway fuel taxes, vehicle weight taxes, and
vehicle registration fees levied and paid pursuant to sections 243-4, 248-8,
249-31, and 249-33, Hawaii Revised Statutes; from federal moneys received by
the State or any department thereof that are available to pay principal of or
interest on indebtedness of the State, or the part of any thereof as the
department may determine; and from other user taxes, fees, or charges currently
or hereafter derived from or arising through the ownership, operation, and
management of highways and related facilities and the furnishing and supplying
of the services thereof.
�
The expenses
related to the issuance of the highway revenue bonds, to the extent not paid
from the proceeds of the bonds, shall be paid from the state highway fund.

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The governor, in the governor's
discretion, may use the state highway fund to finance those projects authorized
in part II and listed in part V of this Act where the method of financing is
designated to be by highway revenue bond funds.
"

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SECTION 2.
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If any portion of this Act or its application to any person, entity, or
circumstance is held to be invalid for any reason, then the legislature
declares that the remainder of the Act and each and every other provision
thereof shall not be affected thereby.
�

If any portion of a specific appropriation is held to be invalid for any
reason, the remaining portion shall be expended to fulfill the objective of
such appropriation to the extent possible.

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SECTION 3.
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If manifest clerical, typographical, or other mechanical errors are
found in this Act, the governor may correct such errors.

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SECTION 4.
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New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 5.
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This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

Report Title:

Budget Provisions; Highway Revenue Bonds; Bond Authorization;
Department of Transportation

Description:

Restores the revenue bond authorization for the Department
of Transportation to issue Highway Revenue Bonds for highway capital
improvement projects authorized in Act 164, Session Laws of Hawaii (SLH) 2023,
as amended by Act 230, SLH 2024.
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Effective upon approval.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.