HB1576 • 2026

RELATING TO FILMING.

Taxes

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: TEMPLO, AMATO, CHUN, HUSSEY, ILAGAN, KILA, MATAYOSHI, MIYAKE, PERRUSO, TAM
Last action: 2026-05-07
Official status: Transmitted to Governor.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify the exact details of the exemption from prior approval by the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

Rules for Public Notice About Film Production

This bill requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to provide public notice about film permits and tax credits for productions at certain locations.

What This Bill Does

Requires DBEDT to provide public notice within five business days when a production obtains a permit or enters into an agreement with DBEDT to film at state-administered locations.
Requires DBEDT to post the same information on its website along with sending it out publicly.
Allows individuals to sign up for email or postal mail notifications about these productions.
Provides an exemption from prior approval by the Board of Land and Natural Resources for land dispositions set aside for filming and film studio operations.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism
Film production companies
Individuals interested in receiving public notices about film productions

Terms To Know

Tax Credit: A reduction in the amount of tax a company or individual has to pay due to certain activities, like making films.
Public Notice: Information made available to the public about important events or decisions.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if DBEDT fails to provide timely notice.
It is unclear how much it will cost individuals who choose postal mail notifications.
The exact details of the exemption for land dispositions are not fully explained.

Amendments

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

CD1

Hawaii published version CD1

Plain English: HB1576 CD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1576 CD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1576 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB1576 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1576 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1576 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FILMING .

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: HB1576 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1576 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1576 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

Bill History

2026-05-08 S
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
2026-05-07 H
Transmitted to Governor.
2026-05-06 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
2026-05-06 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-05-06 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.
2026-05-01 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26
2026-05-01 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 154-26).
2026-05-01 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
2026-05-01 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 154-26) as amended in (CD 1).
2026-05-01 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-05-01 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Tam, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-05-01 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 05-01-26 at 11:30AM in Conference Room 411.
2026-04-30 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 8:01AM in conference room 411.
2026-04-28 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-30-26 9:00AM; Conference Room 411.
2026-04-27 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-28-26 9:00AM; Conference Room 411.
2026-04-27 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 759).
2026-04-24 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-27-26 9:00AM; CR 411.
2026-04-24 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: DeCoite Chair; Wakai Co-Chair; Fevella.
2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Ilagan, Hussey Co-Chairs; Tam, Gedeon.
2026-04-17 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).
2026-04-16 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2026-04-14 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 588) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-04-14 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-04-10 S
One Day Notice 04-14-26.
2026-04-10 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3702) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-07 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C..
2026-04-02 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-07-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-03-30 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-03-30 S
Reported from EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3311) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-03-24 S
The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Kim, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.
2026-03-20 S
The committee(s) on EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-24-26 1:04PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-03-20 S
Re-Referred to EDT, WAM.
2026-03-10 S
Referred to EDT/WLA, WAM.
2026-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 22).
2026-03-05 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Belatti voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Poepoe voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-05 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 781-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-02 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Monday, 03-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-18 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 none excused (0).
2026-02-18 H
Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 425-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-06 H
The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-02 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by ECD on Friday, 02-06-26 8:30AM in House conference room 423 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-16 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO FILMING.
DBEDT; BLNR; Film Permits; Tax Credit; Information; Public Notice; Film Studio; Public Lands; Exemption
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 the public 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. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1576

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1576

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to filming
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Chapter 201, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

����
"
�201-
�
Production
permits; production tax credit; information; public notice.
�
(a)
�
Whenever the department, pursuant to section
201-3(b) or 201-14:

����
(1)
�
Issues a permit
to; or

����
(2)
�
Enters into a
memorandum of agreement or memorandum of understanding with,

any
person to film a motion picture, television show, television commercial, or
other visually recorded production at state-administered locations under the
department's film permitting authority, the department shall, within five
business days, provide public notice of the information required in subsection
(c); provided that during emergency situations, the department shall provide
public notice of the information required in subsection (c) within fourteen
business days.

����
The information required in
subsection (c) shall also be made available, at the same time public notice is
provided, on a publicly accessible part of the department's website.

����
(b)
�

Whenever the department, in accordance with
section 235-17
:

����
(1)
�
Receives
registration for prequalification by a taxpayer pursuant to section 235-17(f;) or

����
(2)
�
Determines that
a taxpayer qualifies for the motion picture, digital media, and film production
income tax credit,

the department shall, within five business days, provide
public notification of the information required in subsection (c)
; provided that during emergency situations,
the department shall provide public notice of the information required in
subsection (c) within fourteen business days.

����
The information required in subsection
(c) shall also be made available, at the same time public notice is provided,
on a publicly accessible part of the department's website.

����
As used in this subsection,
"taxpayer" means a person subject to a tax imposed by chapter 235.

����
(c)
�
The
information provided by the department shall consist of:

����
(1)
�
The name of the
production; and

����
(2)
�
The contact
information of a designated representative for the production, including the
representative's phone number, electronic mail address, and physical mailing
address
.

����
(d)
�
Any
individual may sign up with the department to receive the public notice required
under this section.
�
The department shall
provide the public notice by electronic mail or, subject to any reasonable fee the
department may assess to recover the costs of postage, supplies, staffing, and
other related expenses, postal mail
.

����
(e)
�
The department shall provide public
notice
required under this section once per
year per production.

����
(f)
�

The department may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to implement this
section.
"

����
SECTION 2.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Department
of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Film Permits; Tax Credit; Information;
Public
Notice

Description:

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.

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