This Giving Tuesday, help ensure voters have the information they need to make confident, informed decisions. Donate now!

Public policy in Hawaii

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Public Policy-Main-Masthead.png



BP-Initials-UPDATED.png This article does not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.


The Public Policy Project on Ballotpedia aims to illuminate major policy issues being discussed and implemented throughout the United States. Public policy can be complicated and controversial; deciding what works best and how to allocate resources to achieve a policy goal can involve multiple trade-offs. Much of the public policy that affects citizens economically, legally and socially, is made at the state level. Below you will find links and introductions to all the Hawaii public policy articles on Ballotpedia. To see the policy overview of another state click on the map below.

For a list of all public policy articles on Ballotpedia see here.

Budget Policy

Budget Policy Logo.png

Budget and finances

In Hawaii, as in other states, lawmakers and public officials are elected in part to manage the state's finances. This includes generating revenues (money coming into the state from various sources) and approving expenditures (the money spent on governmental functions and servicing state debt). State budgets are complex and fluid, as they depend on anticipated revenues and planned expenditures, which may alter over the course of a fiscal year. If revenues do not keep pace with expenditures, states generally have to raise taxes, cut services, borrow money, or a combination of the three. State budget decisions are also influenced by policy decisions at the national level, such as the Affordable Care Act or energy and environmental regulations, and issues at the local level, such as crime and the quality of education.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Between fiscal years 2015 and 2016, total government spending in Hawaii increased by approximately $1.0 billion—from $12.9 billion in fiscal year 2015 to an estimated $13.8 billion in 2016. This represents a 7.5-percent increase.[1]
  • In Hawaii in fiscal year 2015, 62.4 percent of total tax revenues came from sales taxes and gross receipts. Income taxes accounted for 32.1 percent of total state tax collections.
  • Education accounted for 23.4 percent of state expenditures in fiscal year 2015, while 15.1 percent went to Medicaid.
  • Taxes

    Hawaii generates the bulk of its tax revenue by levying a personal income tax and a sales tax. The state derives its constitutional authority to tax from Article VII of the state constitution.[2][3]

    Tax policy can vary from state to state. States levy taxes to help fund the variety of services provided by state governments. Tax collections comprise approximately 40 percent of the states' total revenues. The rest comes from non-tax sources, such as intergovernmental aid (e.g., federal funds), lottery revenues and fees. The primary types of taxes levied by state governments include personal income tax, general sales tax, excise (or special sales) taxes and corporate income tax.[4]

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • According to the United States Census Bureau, Hawaii collected $6.92 billion in tax revenue in 2016. The state's tax revenue per capita was $4,843.
  • Civil Liberties Policy

    Civil Liberties Policy Logo.png

    Affirmative action

    Affirmative action in Hawaii refers to the steps taken by employers and universities in Hawaii to increase the proportions of historically disadvantaged minority groups at those institutions. Historically, affirmative action nationwide has taken many different forms, such as strict quotas, extra outreach efforts, and racial and gender preferences. However, racial quotas in university admissions were banned in a 1978 United States Supreme Court case, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke.[5]

    On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court reversed lower court decisions in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina, effectively ending the use of affirmative action in college admissions.

    As of March 2015, 109 out of 577 public four-year universities across the country reported that they considered race in admissions. This practice has been banned in eight states. Meanwhile, 28 states require affirmative action plans in either public employment or apprenticeships. Affirmative action programs that grant racial preferences have come under scrutiny in the courts for potentially violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.[6][7]

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • In Hawaii, no public universities reported considering race in admissions as of March 2015. Additionally, the Department of Human Resources voluntarily issued a 2013-2015 affirmative action plan for state employment.
  • The effects of affirmative action policies are contested. Proponents argue that affirmative action diversifies selective institutions and provides more opportunities to minorities. Opponents argue that implementing policies that favor some groups requires discrimination against others and that these policiesmay harm individuals they are meant to help.

    Campaign finance

    Campaign finance requirements govern how much money candidates and campaigns may receive from individuals and organizations, how they must report those contributions, and how much individuals, organizations, and political parties may contribute to campaigns. In addition to direct campaign contributions, campaign finance laws also apply to third-party organizations and nonprofit organizations that seek to influence elections through independent expenditures or issue advocacy.

    This page provides background on campaign finance regulation, lists contribution limits to state candidates and ballot measures in Hawaii, compares contribution limits to gubernatorial and state legislative candidates in Hawaii with those from other states, and details the candidate reporting requirements in Hawaii.

    The information on this page pertains to candidates for state office and state ballot measures. Candidates for federal office are subject to federal campaign finance law. Candidates for local office are subject to all applicable state laws as well as any separate local campaign finance regulations.[8]

    As of July 2025:
  • Individuals could contribute $6,000 per election cycle to gubernatorial candidates, $4,000 per election cycle to state senate candidates, and $2,000 per election cycle to state house candidates.
  • State parties could contribute $6,000 per election cycle to gubernatorial candidates, $4,000 per election cycle to state senate candidates, and $2,000 per election cycle to state house candidates.
  • Political committees could contribute $6,000 per election cycle to gubernatorial candidates, $4,000 per election cycle to state senate candidates, and $2,000 per election cycle to state house candidates.
  • Corporations and unions could contribute $6,000 per election cycle to gubernatorial candidates, $4,000 per election cycle to state senate candidates, and $2,000 per election cycle to state house candidates.
  • Background

    Seal of the United States Federal Election Commission

    The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign election laws. The FEC is responsible for disclosing campaign finance information, enforcing limits and prohibitions on contributions and overseeing public funding of presidential elections.[9] According to the FEC, an individual becomes a federal candidate and must begin reporting campaign finances once he or she has either raised or spent $5,000 in his or her campaign. Within fifteen days of this benchmark, the candidate must register with the FEC and designate an official campaign committee, which is responsible for the funds and expenditures of the campaign. This committee must have an official treasurer and cannot support any candidate but the one who registered it. Detailed financial reports are then made to the FEC every financial quarter after the individual is registered. Reports are also made before primaries and before the general election.[10]

    The rules governing federal election campaigns and contributions have evolved over the past generation as result of a number of Supreme Court decisions. In the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court held that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited. The court's decision also overturned the ban on for-profit and not-for-profit corporations and unions broadcasting electioneering communications in the 30 days before a presidential primary and in the 60 days before a general election.[11] In the SpeechNOW.org v. Federal Election Commission decision, the first application of the Citizens United decision, the court held that contribution limits on what individuals could give to independent expenditure-only groups, and the amount these organizations could receive, were unconstitutional. Contribution limits on donations directly to candidates, however, remained unchanged.[12][13] In 2014's McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court overturned biennial aggregate campaign contribution limits, and held that individuals may contribute to as many federal candidates as they want, but may only contribute up to the federal limit in each case.[14]

    While the FEC governs federal election campaigns and contribution limits, individual states require their own level of regulation and reporting. The amount of regulation required differs by state, as do the limits on campaign contributions and third-party activities to influence elections. Candidates for local office must follow any applicable state and local campaign finance regulations.

    Contribution limits

    The table below details contribution limits as they applied to various types of individuals and groups in Hawaii as of July 2025. The uppermost row of the table indicates the contributor, while the leftmost column indicates the recipient.[15]

    Hawaii contribution limits as of July 2025
      Individuals PACs Political party Super PACs Corporations Unions
    Governor $6,000 $6,000 $6,000 $0 $6,000 $6,000
    Senate $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $0 $4,000 $4,000
    House $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 $0 $2,000 $2,000
    PAC $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $0 $1,000 $1,000
    Party committees $25,000 per two-year election period $25,000 per two-year election period $25,000 per two-year election period* $0 $25,000 per two-year election period $25,000 per two-year election period
    Ballot measures Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited $0 Unlimited Unlimited
    Limits apply per election cycle.
    *Political committees established and maintained by a national political party cannot make contributions to a party in an aggregate amount greater than $50,000 in any two-year election period.
    Source: State of Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission, "Contribution Limits," accessed July 13, 2025

    State comparisons in the 2024 elections

    See also: State-by-state comparison of campaign finance requirements

    As of the 2024 elections, 38 states, including Hawaii, had varying limits on individual contributions to gubernatorial or state legislative candidates. There were no limits in the remaining 12 states.


    Hawaii

    Individual contribution limits in Hawaii:

    • Governor: $6,000 per election
    • State Senate: $4,000 per election
    • State House: $2,000 per election
    Comparison to other states

    In the 38 states with individual contribution limits:

    • Governor
    • State Senate
      • Minimum: $200 per election (Colorado)
      • Maximum: $15,499.69 per election (Ohio)
    • State House
      • Minimum: $200 per election (Colorado)
      • Maximum: $15,499.69 per election (Ohio)

    Candidate reporting requirements

    Seal of Hawaii

    DocumentIcon.jpg See statutes: Chapter 11, Part XIII of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (Campaign Spending Law)

    General requirements

    Each candidate must register a candidate committee with the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission within 10 days of either filing nomination papers for a state or local office with the Hawaii Office of Elections or county clerk's office or receiving contributions or making expenditures in an aggregate amount of more than $100, whichever comes first[17]

    The registration process begins by completing the "Candidate Committee Electronic Filing Form" and submitting it to the commission's office. The form is available on the commission's website. The candidate, chairperson, and treasurer of the committee must sign the form. The commission will send a website username and password to the committee. After gaining access to the website, the candidate must continue by completing an Organizational Report, which must include the following:[18]

    1. the name, phone number, mailing address, webpage address (if the candidate has one), office sought, district, county, and party affiliation of the candidate/candidate committee
    2. the name, phone number, and mailing address of a chairperson and deputy chairperson
    3. the name, phone number, and mailing address of a campaign treasurer and any deputy campaign treasurers
    4. name and address of the depository institution (bank) chosen to deposit contributions and to make expenditures

    Reporting requirements

    Complete records of campaign contributions and expenditures must be maintained for at least five years.[18]

    By law, a candidate who runs for office in Hawaii is required to file reports electronically even if the candidate raises no money, self-funds their campaign, or spends no money. The candidate and treasurer must file preliminary, supplemental, and final reports that disclose the following information:[17]

    • contributions
    • expenditures
    • other receipts
    • loans
    • unpaid expenditures
    • durable assets

    Campaign finance legislation

    The table below displays bills related to campaign finance introduced during or carried over to Hawaii's current legislative session.[19]

    Election and campaign ballot measures

    See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of Hawaii ballot measures

    Ballotpedia has tracked 5 statewide ballot measures relating to elections and campaigns.

    1. Hawaii Candidate Resignation, Amendment 5 (1978)
    2. Hawaii Campaign Finance, Amendment 6 (1978)
    3. Hawaii Unopposed Candidate Primary Elections, Amendment 3 (1988)
    4. Hawaii Primary Election Voting, Amendment 11 (1968)
    5. Hawaii Regarding Executive Positions, Amendment 15 (1968)


    Contact information

    Election agencies

    Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission
    See also: State election agencies

    Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Hawaii can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

    Hawaii County Election Divisions

    Click here for a list

    Hawaii Office of Elections

    802 Lehua Avenue
    Pearl City, Hawaii 96782
    Phone: 808-453-8683
    Toll free: 1-800-442-8683
    Fax: 808-453-6006
    Email: elections@hawaii.gov
    Website: http://hawaii.gov/elections/

    Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission

    Leiopapa A Kamehameha Building
    235 S. Beretania Street, Room 300
    Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
    Phone: 808-586-0285
    Fax: 808-586-0288
    Website: http://ags.hawaii.gov/campaign/

    Hawaii State Ethics Commission

    1001 Bishop Street, Suite 970
    Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
    Phone: 808-587-0460
    Fax: 808-587-0470
    Email: info.ethics@hawaiiethic.gov
    Website: https://ethics.hawaii.gov

    U.S. Election Assistance Commission

    633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
    Washington, DC 20001
    Phone: 301-563-3919
    Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
    Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
    Website: https://www.eac.gov

    Federal Election Commission (FEC)

    1050 First Street, NE
    Washington, DC 20463
    Telephone: (202)-694-1100
    Toll-free: 1-800-424-9530
    Email: info@fec.gov
    Website: http://www.fec.gov/

    Recent news

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Hawaii campaign finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. National Association of State Budget Officers, "State Expenditure Report (Fiscal 2014-2016)," accessed June 26, 2017
    2. Hawaii Legislative Reference Bureau, "The Constitution of the State of Hawaii," accessed October 17, 2014
    3. Tax Policy Center, "State Tax Collection Shares by Type 2000-2013," June 20, 2014
    4. Brunori, D. (2011). State Tax Policy: A Political Perspective. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute Press
    5. Oyez, "Regents of the University of California v. Bakke," accessed February 11, 2015
    6. Miller Center of Public Affairs, "Affirmative Action: Race or Class?" accessed February 10, 2015
    7. Business and Legal Resources, "Affirmative Action," accessed March 31, 2015
    8. National Conference of State Legislatures, "Campaign Finance Enforcement," accessed May 28, 2025
    9. Federal Election Commission, "About the FEC," accessed June 27, 2012
    10. Federal Election Commission, "Candidate Registration Brochure," accessed December 7, 2012
    11. New York Times, "Justices, 5-4, Reject Corporate Spending Limit," January 21, 2010
    12. Federal Election Commission, "Speechnow.org v. FEC," April 7, 2014
    13. OpenSecrets, "Two Federal Court Rulings Could Change Campaign Finance Landscape," March 26, 2010
    14. Federal Election Commission, "Ongoing Litigation," accessed March 18, 2015
    15. Vox, "Super PACs can spend unlimited amounts on elections, but must disclose their donors," accessed May 21, 2015
    16. National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Limits on Contributions to Candidates 2023-2024 Election Cycle," accessed May 8, 2025
    17. 17.0 17.1 State of Hawaii Department of Accounting and General Services, "Chapter 11, Part XIII of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (Campaign Spending Law)," accessed July 14, 2025
    18. 18.0 18.1 State of Hawaii Department of Accounting and General Services, "Guidebook for Candidate Committees," accessed July 14, 2025
    19. Bills are organized by most recent action. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

    Nonprofit regulation

    Nonprofit regulation in Hawaii involves a complex set of rules that govern nonprofit organizations and charitable giving throughout the state. Major issues surrounding nonprofit regulation nationwide include the following:

    • contribution limits,
    • donor disclosure, and
    • the redefinition of issue advocacy.


    Hawaii is one of 39 states that require charitable organizations, and those intending to solicit on their behalf, to register with the state in order to solicit contributions, whether they are a Hawaii organization or based out-of-state. In Hawaii a number of groups and organizations are exempt from registration. Registration is a one-time process, and is completed entirely online.[1][2]

    Hawaii is one of 32 states that allows registrants to use either the Unified Registration Statement (URS) (if they are registering in more than one state) or the state registration form.[3] Only seven states requiring registration do not accept the URS.

    According to Guidestar, an organization that reports on nonprofit companies, regulation of nonprofit activity protects donors and organizations from potential fraud and helps "to maintain trust in the [nonprofit] sector." According to the London School of Economics, nonprofit disclosure requirements can create privacy concerns among potential donors, thereby having an unintended negative impact on donor participation.[4][5]

    Education Policy

    Education Policy Logo.png

    K-12 Public education

    The Hawaii public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022, Hawaii had 181,088 students enrolled in a total of 294 schools in one school district. There were 12,220 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 15 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, Hawaii spent on average $16,564 per pupil.[6] The state's graduation rate was 85 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.[7]

    Higher education

    Hawaii's higher education system is composed of 19 colleges and universities. Of these, 10 are public institutions, six are nonprofit private schools, and three are for-profit private institutions.[8]

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • Average public university tuition in Hawaii increased 139 percent between 2005-2006 and 2015-2016.
  • At public four-year colleges in Hawaii, 16.3 percent graduated within four years, while 51.8 percent graduated within six years. Compared to its relative neighbors, these figures were above only those in Alaska.
  • In Hawaii, state higher education appropriations per full-time student declined 25.7 percent between 2009 and 2014.
  • School choice

    School choice is a term that refers to programs offering alternatives to assigned local public school options. Public school choice options include open enrollment policies, magnet schools, and charter schools. Other options include school vouchers, scholarship tax credits, and education savings accounts (ESAs).[9][10]

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, a charter school advocacy group, there were an estimated 34 total charter schools in Hawaii in the 2015-2016 school year. These schools enrolled approximately 11,000 students.
  • In Hawaii, there were 33,820 students enrolled in 130 private schools in fall 2013, accounting for roughly 15.59 percent of the state's total school-age population.
  • According to the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, as of May 2016, Hawaii provided no financial assistance (either in the form of vouchers or tax credits) to parents wishing to send their children to private schools instead of public schools.
  • Proponents argue that school choice programs improve educational outcomes by expanding opportunity and access for historically disadvantaged students. In addition, advocates claim that school choice programs empower parents and improve traditional public schools through competition. Critics contend that these programs divert funds from traditional public schools, thereby generating unequal outcomes for students. In addition, some critics argue that school voucher programs wrongly direct tax dollars to religious organizations, which operate many private schools.

    Charter schools

    Charter schools in Hawaii are public schools operated independently of public school systems. Although they are largely publicly funded, charter schools are exempt from many of the requirements imposed by state and local boards of education regarding hiring and curriculum. As public schools, charter schools cannot charge tuition or impose special entrance requirements; students are usually admitted through a lottery process if demand exceeds the number of spaces available in a school. Charter schools generally receive a percentage of the per-pupil funds from the state and local school districts for operational costs based on enrollment. In most states, charter schools do not receive funds for facilities or start-up costs; therefore, they must rely to some extent on private donations. The federal government also provides revenues through special grants. As of March 2017, 44 states and the District of Columbia had approved legislation authorizing the creation of public charter schools. Six states had not.

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, a charter school advocacy group, there were an estimated 34 total charter schools in Hawaii in the 2015-2016 school year. These schools enrolled approximately 11,000 students.
  • Overall, charter school students accounted for 5.87 percent of total public school enrollment in Hawaii in 2015.
  • The Hawaii State Legislature approved the state's charter school law in 1994.
  • Election Policy

    Election Policy Logo.png

    Ballot access requirements

    In order to get on the ballot in Hawaii, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

    There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

    1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
    2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
    3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

    This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Hawaii. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

    Redistricting

    Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Hawaii's two United States Representatives and 76 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[11][12][13][14]

    Hawaii was apportioned 2 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in Hawaii after the 2020 census.

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • Following the 2020 United States Census, Hawaii was apportioned two congressional districts, which was unchanged from the number it had after the 2010 census.
  • Hawaii's House of Representatives is made up of 51 districts; Hawaii's State Senate is made up of 25 districts.
  • In Hawaii, a nine-member politician commission draws both congressional and state legislative district lines.
  • Voting



    Election Policy VNT Logo.png

    Election Information
    2026 election and voting dates
    Voter registration
    Early voting
    Absentee/mail-in voting
    All-mail voting
    Voter ID laws
    State poll opening and closing times
    Time off work for voting

    Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

    Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its voting policies.

    The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.

    This article includes the following information about voting policies in Hawaii:

    Click here for more information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, post-election auditing practices, and additional election policy context.

    For information on elections happening this year, click here.

    Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.

    Energy Policy

    Energy Policy-Logo.png

    Energy information

    Energy policy involves governmental actions affecting the production, distribution, and consumption of energy in a state. Energy policies are enacted and enforced at the local, state, and federal levels and may change over time. These policies include legislation, regulation, taxes, incentives for energy production or use, standards for energy efficiency, and more. Stakeholders include citizens, politicians, environmental groups, industry groups, and think tanks. A variety of factors can affect the feasibility of federal and state-level energy policies, such as available natural resources, geography, and consumer needs.

    Fracking

    Read about Hawaii's state energy profile »

    According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Hawaii had no oil or natural gas reserves as of May 2017; thus, no fracking occurred in the state.[15]

    Environmental Policy

    Environmental Policy Logo.png

    Environmental information

    Environmental policy aims to conserve natural resources by balancing environmental protection with economic growth, property rights, public health, and energy production. Federal, state, and local government entities develop and implement environmental policies through laws and regulations. This page features information about environmental policy in Hawaii.

    Endangered species

    Endangered species policy in Hawaii involves the identification and protection of endangered and threatened animal and plant species. Policies are implemented and enforced by both the state and federal governments.

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • As of July 2016, Hawaii was home 434 species—421 endangered species and 13 threatened species—listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).
  • Of these, 66 were animal species and 368 were plant species.
  • Finance Policy

    Policypedia Finance Final.png

    Financial regulation information

    The United States financial system is a network that facilitates exchanges between lenders and borrowers. The system, which includes banks and investment firms, is the base for all economic activity in the nation. According to the Federal Reserve, financial regulation has two main intended purposes: to ensure the safety and soundness of the financial system and to provide and enforce rules that aim to protect consumers. The regulatory framework varies across industries, with different regulations applying to different financial services.[16]

    Individual federal and state entities have different and sometimes overlapping responsibilities within the regulatory system. For example, individual states and three federal agencies—the Federal Reserve, the Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)—regulate commercial banks. Other sectors of the financial market are regulated by specific entities.[17][18]

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • In 2015, there were a total of six distinct commercial banks in Hawaii, with total deposits of $38.41 billion.
  • Financial institutions in Hawaii are regulated by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
  • In 2015, a total of 14,470 financial crimes were reported in Hawaii according to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN), an agency of the United States Department of Treasury.
  • Some, such as the Brookings Institution, argue that expanded governmental regulation of banks and financial products (e.g., mortgages) can prevent large-scale financial crises, protect consumers from abusive practices, and stabilize financial markets. Others, such as the Cato Institute, argue that over-regulation of banks of banks and financial products burdens business, stalls economic growth, and does little, if anything, to stabilize financial markets. Beyond this basic debate about the role of the government in regulating the private financial sector, there are varying opinions about the proper extent of governmental regulation.[19][20]

    Healthcare Policy

    Healthcare Policy Logo.png

    Healthcare information

    Healthcare policy in Hawaii involves the creation and implementation of laws, rules, and regulations for managing the state's healthcare system. The healthcare system consists of services provided by medical professionals to diagnose, treat, and prevent mental and physical illness and injury. The system also encompasses a wide range of related sectors, such as insurance, pharmaceuticals and health information technology.

    According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the 50 state legislatures collectively "make thousands of health policy decisions each year," not including the decisions made by local governments, which often oversee hospitals, and private bodies, such as insurers. These decisions can include budget appropriations, requirements for doctors obtaining their licenses, which services are covered by insurance, how personal health information is managed, and which immunizations children must receive, among many others.[21]

    Healthcare policy affects not only the cost citizens must pay for care, but also their access to care and the quality of care received, which can influence their overall health. A top concern for policymakers is the rising cost of healthcare, which has placed an increasing strain on the disposable income of consumers as well as on state budgets.

    Other issues in healthcare policy include

    Medicaid spending

    Hawaii's Medicaid program provides medical insurance to groups of low-income people and individuals with disabilities. Medicaid is a nationwide program jointly funded by the federal government and the states. Medicaid eligibility, benefits, and administration are managed by the states within federal guidelines. A program related to Medicaid is the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which covers low-income children above the poverty line and is sometimes operated in conjunction with a state's Medicaid program. Medicaid is a separate program from Medicare, which provides health coverage for the elderly.

    Effect of the Affordable Care Act

    The impact of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), also known as Obamacare, has been debated among politicians, policymakers, and other stakeholders. The ACA was signed into law in 2010 by President Barack Obama (D). The law facilitated the purchase of health insurance through a system of health insurance exchanges, tax credits, and subsidies. Initially, states were required to expand eligibility for Medicaid under the law; a 2012 ruling by the United States Supreme Court made the Medicaid expansion voluntary for states. The law also required insurers to cover healthcare services within a standard set of benefits and prohibited coverage denials based on preexisting conditions. Under the law, all individuals were required to obtain health insurance.

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • Between 2013 and 2016, the number of uninsured individuals in Hawaii declined by 46.2%.
  • About 17,000 individuals in Hawaii were enrolled in health plans offered through the health insurance exchange in 2017. Enrollment in Medicaid amounted to about 347,000 in May 2017.
  • The Kaiser Family Foundation found that between 2016 and 2017, average monthly premiums for benchmark plans on Hawaii's exchange increased by an average of 32% in the Honolulu market, from $262 to $347.

  • Immigration Policy

    Policypedia Imigration Final.png

    Immigration information

    Immigration policy determines who may become a new citizen of the United States or enter the country as a temporary worker, student, refugee, or permanent resident. The federal government is responsible for setting and enforcing most immigration policy.

    Meanwhile, states assume a largely supportive role, enacting their own supplementary laws and setting policies that may, for example, determine which public services immigrants can access, establish employee screening requirements, or guide the interaction between related state agencies and their federal counterparts.

    Some jurisdictions, including some states, cities, and counties, have adopted policies of not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement; these jurisdictions have become known as sanctuary jurisdictions.

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • As of October 2016, Hawaii allowed immigrant children and pregnant women to enroll in Medicaid and provided driver's licenses to individuals residing in the country without legal permission.
  • In 2014, Hawaii's population amounted to a little over 1.1 million residents. Approximately 82.1 percent of Hawaii residents were native-born citizens; 10.1 percent were naturalized naturalized citizens and 7.8 percent were non-citizens.
  • Hawaii's poverty rate during 2014 was 7.8 percent. Among native-born citizens, 7.3 percent lived below the poverty line, compared to 18.4 percent of non-citizens.
  • Pension Policy

    Pension Policy Logo.png

    Public pensions

    Hawaii public pensions are the state mechanism by which state and many local government employees in Hawaii receive retirement benefits.

    There was 1 public pension system in Hawaii as of 2020. Of these, 1 was a state-level program. Membership in Hawaii's various pension systems totaled 147,205, as of fiscal year 2020. Of these, 66,588 were active members.[22]

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • Total contributions of $1.3 billion were made to Hawaii's state and local pension systems, in fiscal year 2020. Of this amount, $281.8 million came from employees.
  • Hawaii's state and local pension systems made payments totaling $911.1 million, in fiscal year 2020.
  • Hawaii's state and local pension systems held $18.2 billion in total cash and investment holdings, as of fiscal year 2020.

  • Public policy in other states

    Click your state for an overview of policy information in your state.
    http://ballotpedia.org/Public policy in STATE


    Footnotes

    1. The Unified Registered Statement, "Appendix of Cooperating States," accessed January 22, 2015
    2. Fishman, S. & Barrett, R. (2012). Nonprofit Fundraising Registration: The 50 State Guide. NOLO.
    3. "Multistate Filing Form," accessed December 17, 2014
    4. Guidestar, Fundraising: What Laws Apply?" accessed February 18, 2015
    5. London School of Economics, "Campaign finance laws that make small donations public may lead to fewer people contributing and to smaller donations," January 7, 2015
    6. United States Census Bureau, "U.S. School System Current Spending Per Pupil by Region: Fiscal Year 2020," May 18, 2022
    7. National Center for Education Statistics, "Fast Facts: High school graduation rates," accessed September 28, 2022
    8. National Center for Education Statistics, "College Navigator - Hawaii," accessed July 12, 2016
    9. National Conference of State Legislatures, "School Choice and Charters," accessed June 18, 2014
    10. Friedman Foundation for School Choice, "What is School Choice?" accessed June 18, 2014
    11. All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
    12. Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
    13. The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
    14. Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
    15. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named EIA
    16. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, "Government Performance and Results Act Annual Performance Report 2011," July 10, 2012
    17. The National Bureau of Economic Research, "A Brief History of Regulations Regarding Financial Markets in the United States: 1789 to 2009," September 2011
    18. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, "The U.S. Federal Financial Regulatory System: Restructuring Federal Bank Regulation," January 19, 2006
    19. Brookings, "The Origins of the Financial Crisis," November 24, 2008
    20. The Cato Institute, "Did Deregulation Cause the Financial Crisis?" July 2009
    21. National Conference of State Legislatures, "Health," accessed July 8, 2015
    22. United States Census Bureau, 2020 Annual Survey of Public Pensions: State & Local Tables accessed February 23, 2022