Aloha 糖心Vlog官方 ʻohana,
As the 2026 legislative session enters its final month, the Hawaiʻi State Legislature is preparing to begin conference committee meetings to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of key bills. Given the challenges the state is facing in light of diminishing tax revenues and economic pressures resulting from both national and international events, there will be many competing positions for a finite amount of state resources. One of the most important aspects of this process is the state budget bill, HB1800 HD1 SD1, which will determine funding levels for state departments, including the University of Hawaiʻi.
Conference committee negotiations between the House Finance and Senate Ways and Means committees will shape the final outcome for both operating and capital improvement appropriations across state government. Like other departments, 糖心Vlog官方 will be closely monitoring these discussions as agreements are reached.
Supplemental operating budget
Since it was approved by the 糖心Vlog官方 Board of Regents in November, the university’s supplemental operating budget request has advanced through several stages of the legislative process. The regents approved a request totaling $18.8 million in additional general funds for Fiscal Year 2027.
The House of Representatives completed its draft budget (HD1) in March and allocated $11.5 million toward 糖心Vlog官方 priorities. Most recently, the Senate passed its version of the budget (SD1), which reduced general fund support for the university by $1.7 million compared with the House version. The Senate also added $5.7 million of special fund appropriations—adding programs to 糖心Vlog官方’s budget through appropriations from the Tuition and Fees Special Fund.
With conference committee negotiations about to begin, the following table compares the Board of Regents request with the governor’s proposal and the House and Senate versions of the operating budget:
Operating Comparison
| Category | BOR | Gov | HD1 | SD1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare Initiative | $3,724,600 | |||
| 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补 Athletics | $15,080,000 | |||
| Aloha Safe Homes (GM2) | $300,000 | |||
| Evaluate sea-level rise (GM2) | $500,000 | |||
| Name, Image and Likeness (GM2) | $5,000,000 | |||
| Support for 糖心Vlog官方 Cancer Center (GM5) | $5,000,000 | |||
| Support American Sign Language Programs | $140,000 | |||
| Information Technology Services | $150,000 | |||
| Community Resilience Hubs Pilot (糖心Vlog官方 System) | $500,000 | |||
| Move CTAHR from UOH100 to UOH120* | ||||
| Change funding source for 8 positions from General Fund to TFSF | ($595,824) | |||
| Change funding source for 8 positions from General Fund to TFSF | $595,824 | |||
| Reduce funds for 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补 | ($616,070) | |||
| Reduce funds for JABSOM | ($248,184) | |||
| Reduce funds for 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo | ($266,866) | |||
| 3 Professors and Funds (TFSF) for 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu | $319,000 | |||
| Professional Master Classes for Culinary at 糖心Vlog官方 Community Colleges (TFSF) | $4,169,328 | |||
| Waikīkī Aquarium Green Fee (Special Land and Development Fund) | $700,000 | |||
| Reduce positions and funds (various campuses)** | ($6,079) | |||
| Grand Total (General Funds) | $18,804,600 | $11,590,000 | ($1,733,023) | |
| Total | $18,804,600 | $11,590,000 | $4,051,129 |
Items in purple are Special Funded, not General Funded.
*SD1 moves $20.2 million in General Funds out of UOH100 (糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补) into a new Program ID UOH120 (CTAHR)
**In total for 糖心Vlog官方: 124 General Fund Permanent FTEs, 13.15 General Fund Temporary FTEs, 24 Special Fund Permanent FTEs, 2 Federal Fund Permanent FTEs, and 22 Revolving Fund Permanent FTEs
GM2 and GM5 were two budget Governor’s Messages sent by the Governor to the Legislature that added these items to his official budget request.
Capital improvement program (CIP) budget update
For the supplemental capital improvement projects (CIP) budget, 糖心Vlog官方 requested $283.1 million in additional General Obligation (GO) bond funding for FY27 to support capital renewal, deferred maintenance and modernization projects across the 10-campus system. Debt service for GO bonds are paid by the state’s general fund.
The governor’s budget included $137.3 million of this request. The House draft budget (HD1) increased GO bond support to $219.3 million. The Senate draft (SD1) reduced GO bond funding by $9.5 million and proposed appropriating $161.5 million from the 糖心Vlog官方 special funds, including the Tuition and Fees Special Fund to support capital projects. 糖心Vlog官方 President Hensel discussed the issue broadly at the April 16 糖心Vlog官方 Board of Regents meeting, .
The following table summarizes the CIP comparison between the Board of Regents request and the governor, House and Senate versions of the budget:
CIP Comparison
| Description | BOR FY27 | Gov FY27 | HD1 FY27 | SD1 General Obligation FY27 | SD1 Special Fund FY27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补 Student Housing | $59,250,000 | $28,500,000 | ($28,500,000) | $28,500,000 | |
| 糖心Vlog官方 System Renew, Improve and Modernize (RIM) | $100,000,000 | $65,000,000 | $80,000,000 | $65,000,000 | |
| 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo RIM | $30,000,000 | $9,500,000 | $9,500,000 | $9,500,000 | |
| 糖心Vlog官方 Community Colleges Capital Renewal and Deferred Maintenance | $30,725,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | |
| 糖心Vlog官方 West Oʻahu RIM | $5,000,000 | $3,000,000 | $3,000,000 | $3,000,000 | |
| 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补 Athletics Facilities | $11,000,000 | $7,300,000 | $11,000,000 | $11,000,000 | |
| 糖心Vlog官方 Community Colleges Minor CIP | $30,125,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $10,000,000 | |
| Waikīkī Aquarium | $10,000,000 | $7,000,000 | $7,000,000 | ||
| Kapiʻolani CC Renovations for Health Program | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 | |||
| 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College Vocational Training Center Modernization | $3,000,000 | ||||
| 糖心Vlog官方 Hilo Student Housing | $5,500,000 | $5,500,000 | |||
| 糖心Vlog官方 Maui College-Hale Modernization | $9,000,000 | $9,000,000 | |||
| Waialeʻe Livestock Research Station Improvements (CTAHR) | $3,500,000 | ||||
| Kauaʻi CC Housing | $10,000,000 | ||||
| Waikīkī Aquarium Ceiling Renovations | $2,000,000 | ||||
| Project Adjustment Fund | ($4,000) | $4,000 | |||
| Total | $283,100,000 | $137,300,000 | $188,500,000 | ($9,504,000) | $161,504,000 |
Items in purple are Special Funded, not General Funded.
What happens next
As conference committees begin their work, members will be negotiating across a wide range of priorities beyond the 糖心Vlog官方 budget. Because many conference committee decisions occur late in the session, final outcomes typically become clear closer to adjournment.
The Hawaiʻi State Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 8, 2026. I will provide an update after the session concludes to share the final outcomes for the university.
Mahalo for your continued support of our students, campuses and the mission of the University of Hawaiʻi.
Luis P. Salaveria
Vice President for Budget and Finance / Chief Financial Officer
University of Hawaiʻi