HB2160 • 2026

RELATING TO CANCER.

Budget Taxes

Active

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

Sponsor: GARRETT, AMATO, CHUN, EVSLIN, GRANDINETTI, ILAGAN, KILA, KUSCH, LEE, M., MARTEN, MIYAKE, OLDS, POEPOE, QUINLAN, TAKAYAMA, TARNAS, WOODSON
Last action: 2026-02-11
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HED with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Holt excused (1).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effective date in the official summary text is July 1, 2030, not July 1, 2026 as mentioned in the candidate explanation.

Cancer Research Fund Changes

This bill removes a requirement that cigarette tax money deposited into the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund be used exclusively for debt service and building maintenance, allowing more funds to go towards research and operations starting July 1, 2030.

What This Bill Does

Repeals the rule requiring some cigarette tax money to be used only for paying off debts related to capital expenditures and building maintenance at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center.
Allows all cigarette tax money deposited into the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund to go towards research, operations, and other expenses starting July 1, 2030.

Who It Names or Affects

People who buy cigarettes in Hawaii will see their tax money used differently.
The University of Hawaii Cancer Center will receive additional funding.

Terms To Know

Cigarette Tax: A special tax added to the price of cigarettes when they are sold.
Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund: A fund that collects money from cigarette taxes and uses it for cancer research and other related activities in Hawaii.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much additional funding the University of Hawaii Cancer Center will receive.
It is unclear what specific changes this will make to the budget or operations of the cancer center.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: The amendment changes the amount of money collected from cigarette taxes that goes to the Hawaii cancer research special fund and other funds, increasing it to 4.0 cents per cigarette after December 31, 2025.

Increases the tax deposited into the Hawaii cancer research special fund to 4.0 cents per cigarette starting from January 1, 2026.

The amendment text does not specify how much money will be allocated for fiscal year 2026-2027.
Details about the exact distribution of funds after June 30, 2030, are unclear from the provided information.

Bill History

2026-02-11 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HED with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Holt excused (1).
2026-02-11 H
Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 157-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HED.
2026-02-06 H
The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Hartsfield, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-03 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Friday, 02-06-26 9:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-30 H
Referred to HLT, HED, FIN, referral sheet 5
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-26 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CANCER.
Cigarette Tax; Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund; Revenue; Disposition; Debt Services; Capital Expenditures; University of Hawaii Cancer Center; Appropriation ($)
Repeals the requirement that a certain amount received from the cigarette tax on the wholesale price of each article or item of certain tobacco products deposited into the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund must be used for debt service of capital expenditures and building maintenance. Appropriates funds for the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2160

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2160

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to cancer
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 245-15, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�245-15
�
Disposition of revenues.
�

All moneys collected pursuant to this chapter shall be paid into the
state treasury as state realizations to be kept and accounted for as provided
by law; provided that, of the moneys collected under the tax imposed pursuant
to:

����
(1)
�
Section
245-3(a)(5), after September 30, 2006, and [
prior to
]
before

October 1, 2007, 1.0 cent per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the
Hawaii cancer research special fund, established pursuant to section 304A-2168,
for research and operating expenses and for capital expenditures;

����
(2)
�
Section
245-3(a)(6), after September 30, 2007, and before October 1, 2008:

���������
(A)
�
1.5
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the Hawaii cancer
research special fund, established pursuant to section 304A-2168, for research
and operating expenses and for capital expenditures;

���������
(B)
�
0.25
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the trauma system
special fund established pursuant to section 321-22.5; and

���������
(C)
�
0.25
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the emergency medical
services special fund established pursuant to section 321-234;

����
(3)
�
Section
245-3(a)(7), after September 30, 2008, and before July 1, 2009:

���������
(A)
�
2.0
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the Hawaii cancer
research special fund, established pursuant to section 304A-2168, for research
and operating expenses and for capital expenditures;

���������
(B)
�
0.5
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the trauma system
special fund established pursuant to section 321-22.5;

���������
(C)
�
0.25
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the community health
centers special fund established pursuant to section 321-1.65; and

���������
(D)
�
0.25
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the emergency medical
services special fund established pursuant to section 321-234;

����
(4)
�
Section
245-3(a)(8), after June 30, 2009, and before July 1, 2013:

���������
(A)
�
2.0
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the Hawaii cancer
research special fund, established pursuant to section 304A-2168, for research
and operating expenses and for capital expenditures;

���������
(B)
�
0.75
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the trauma system
special fund established pursuant to section 321-22.5;

���������
(C)
�
0.75
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the community health
centers special fund established pursuant to section 321-1.65; and

���������
(D)
�
0.5
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the emergency medical
services special fund established pursuant to section 321-234;

����
(5)
�
Section
245-3(a)(11), after June 30, 2013, and before July 1, 2015:

���������
(A)
�
2.0
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the Hawaii cancer
research special fund, established pursuant to section 304A-2168, for research
and operating expenses and for capital expenditures;

���������
(B)
�
1.5
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the trauma system
special fund established pursuant to section 321-22.5;

���������
(C)
�
1.25
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the community health
centers special fund established pursuant to section 321-1.65; and

���������
(D)
�
1.25
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the emergency medical
services special fund established pursuant to section 321-234;

����
(6)
�
Section
245-3(a)(11), after June 30, 2015, and before January 1, 2026:

���������
(A)
�
2.0
cents per cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the Hawaii cancer
research special fund, established pursuant to section 304A-2168, for research
and operating expenses and for capital expenditures;

���������
(B)
�
1.125
cents per cigarette, but not more than $7,400,000 in a fiscal year, shall be
deposited to the credit of the trauma system special fund established pursuant
to section 321-22.5;

���������
(C)
�
1.25
cents per cigarette, but not more than $8,800,000 in a fiscal year, shall be
deposited to the credit of the community health centers special fund
established pursuant to section 321-1.65; and

���������
(D)
�
1.25
cents per cigarette, but not more than $8,800,000 in a fiscal year, shall be
deposited to the credit of the emergency medical services special fund
established pursuant to section 321-234; and

����
(7)
�
Section
245-3(a)(12), after December 31, 2025, and thereafter:

���������
(A)
�
4.0 cents per
cigarette shall be deposited to the credit of the Hawaii cancer research
special fund, established pursuant to section 304A-2168, for research and
operating expenses and for capital expenditures; [
provided that, until
June 30, 2030, of each amount deposited under this paragraph to the credit
of the Hawaii cancer research special fund, 4.0 cents per cigarette shall be
used exclusively for debt service of capital expenditures and building maintenance;
provided further that beginning July 1, 2030, of each amount deposited
under this paragraph to the credit of the Hawaii cancer research special fund,
2.0 cents per cigarette shall be used exclusively for debt service of capital
expenditures and building maintenance;
]

���������
(B)
�
1.125 cents per
cigarette, but no more than $7,400,000 in a fiscal year, shall be deposited to
the credit of the trauma system special fund established pursuant to section
321-22.5;

���������
(C)
�
1.25 cents per
cigarette, but no more than $8,800,000 in a fiscal year, shall be deposited to
the credit of the community health centers special fund established pursuant to
section 321‑1.65; and

���������
(D)
�
1.25 cents per
cigarette, but no more than $8,800,000 in a fiscal year, shall be deposited to
the credit of the emergency medical services special fund established pursuant
to section 321‑234.

The
department shall provide an annual accounting of these dispositions to the
legislature.
"

����
SECTION
2.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of
$ or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the operations and
activities of the University of Hawaii cancer center.

����
The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of
this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Cigarette
Tax; Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund; Revenue; Disposition; Debt Services; Capital
Expenditures; University of Hawaii Cancer Center; Appropriation

Description:

Repeals
the requirement that a certain amount received from the cigarette tax on the
wholesale price of each article or item of certain tobacco products deposited
into the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund must be used for debt service of
capital expenditures and building maintenance.
�

Appropriates funds for the University of Hawaii Cancer Center.

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