RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM.

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Active

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

Sponsor: ILAGAN, HOLT, HUSSEY, MATSUMOTO, TAM, TEMPLO, TODD
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide details about the exact rules for using grant money beyond mentoring and workshops.

Grant Program for Chambers of Commerce

This bill requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to establish a grant program that provides funding to chambers of commerce.

What This Bill Does

Establishes a Chamber of Commerce Competitive Grant Program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.
Requires chambers of commerce to apply for grants by submitting detailed requests to the department in accordance with administrative rules.
Sets eligibility criteria for grant applicants, including serving at least 300 businesses and complying with anti-discrimination laws.
Allows the department to review applications and decide which ones get funding up to $100,000.
Requires chambers of commerce that receive funds to use them for developing entrepreneurs through mentoring, workshops, and skill development.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism
Chambers of commerce in Hawaii

Terms To Know

Grant Program: A program where organizations can apply for money to help them achieve certain goals.
Entrepreneurship: Starting and running a new business or bringing new ideas to the market.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how many chambers of commerce will receive grants.
It is unclear when exactly the grant program will start, as it requires further administrative rules to be established by the department.
The effectiveness and impact of the grant program on economic development are uncertain.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to create a grant program that gives money to chambers of commerce to help entrepreneurs.

The department must establish a competitive grant program for chambers of commerce.
Chambers of commerce can apply for grants if they meet certain requirements like serving at least 300 businesses and raising one-fifth of the requested amount.
Grants are limited to $100,000 per applicant and require a $1 match for every $5 received.

The exact funding amount is not specified in the amendment text.
Details on how the grant program will be administered, such as specific rules and an appeals process, are left to future administrative decisions.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
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 ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 495) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-07 H
The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Templo, Todd, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Tam.
2025-01-28 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by ECD on Friday, 02-07-25 10:00AM in House conference room 423 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-27 H
Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 4
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM.
Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Chambers of Commerce; Grant Program; Appropriation
Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to establish a Chamber of Commerce Competitive Grant Program. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1407

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1407

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the department of business, economic development, and tourism
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�

The legislature finds that there is a need to bolster business
innovation and economic development in the State by partnering with the private
sector.
�
The legislature also finds that
the chambers of commerce in Hawaii, with their vast membership of small
businesses, are in an excellent position to develop and cultivate greater
entrepreneurship.

����
The purpose of this Act is to require the department
of business, economic development, and tourism to establish a chamber of commerce
grant program for entrepreneurs.

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SECTION 2.
�
Chapter 201, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

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"
�201-
�
Chambers
of commerce; grant program.
�
(a)
�

The department shall establish and administer a chamber of commerce
grant program to provide funding to qualifying chambers of commerce.

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(b)
�

Requests for grants shall be submitted to the department in accordance
with administrative rules adopted by the department to administer the grant
program.
�
Each request shall, at a
minimum, state:

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(1)
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The name of the
chamber of commerce requesting grant funds; and

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(2)
�
Measurable outcomes
from the use of the grant to include entrepreneur mentoring, workshops
conducted, new businesses created, and specific skills developed.

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(c)
�

Each applicant for a grant shall provide proof to the department that
the applicant:

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(1)
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Serves at least
three hundred businesses;

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(2)
�
Complies with
all other federal, state, or county statutes, rules, or ordinances necessary to
conduct the activities or provide the services for which a grant is awarded;

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(3)
�
Complies with
all applicable federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination against a
person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, age,
sexual orientation, or disability;

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(4)
�
Satisfies any
other standards that may be required by the source of funding; and

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(5)
�
Meets all other
standards prescribed in rules adopted by the department to implement the grants
awarded under this section.

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(d)
�

Every request for grant funds shall be submitted to the department on an
application form provided by the department and shall at a minimum contain the
information required by subsection (c).
�

The department shall review each request to determine whether the
applicant is eligible to receive grants funds and shall make a final decision
on each request.
�
Upon approval of the
request, the department shall award an applicant a grant of up to
$100,000.
�
The department shall inform
each grant applicant of the disposition of the applicant's request.
�
The department shall adopt rules to establish
an appeals process for any denial of a request.

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(e)
�

Each chamber of commerce applicant who, after meeting the requirements
of subsection (c), receives grant funds from the department shall use the funds
for developing and cultivating entrepreneurs, with a focus on mentoring,
workshops and skill development.
�
Funds
shall also be used for critical needs, including additional staffing, technical
assistance, essential software, or technology upgrades.
�
A chamber of commerce who receives grant
funds pursuant to this section shall submit to the department an annual report
detailing the use of funds.

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(f)
�

The department shall adopt rules without regard to chapter 91 to
administer the grant program.
"

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SECTION 3.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Department
of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Chambers of Commerce; Grant
Program

Description:

Requires
the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to establish a
Chamber of Commerce Grant Program.

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