Committee on Budget, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026

As the agenda prints it: COMMITTEE ON BUDGET · REGULAR MEETING · CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER · 9:00 A.M.
Voting members, as printed: Val A. Okimoto, Chair; Scott Y. Nishimoto, Vice Chair; Esther Kiaʻāina; Augie Tulba; Tommy Waters
The council's document: Agenda (PDF, 7 pages). Testimony instructions are on the agenda.

For action: 8 items

1. RESOLUTION 25-327

TRANSFER OF FUNDS (DEM). Authorizing a transfer not to exceed $321,684 in General Fund monies from the Provision for Federally Funded Program Contingencies activity (current expenses ("CE") character of expenditure ("COE")) to the Department of Emergency Management ("DEM") Emergency Management Coordination activity (salary COE) to provide DEM with the resources required to fill and sustain Planner positions, ensuring that DEM can effectively manage and implement federally supported programs. (Transmitted by Communication D-840[25])

The measure in the council's system: RES25-327: RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS. Introduced by TOMMY WATERS - By Request, Dec. 11, 2025
Last event, as the system prints it: Jan. 28, 2026. Committee report and Resolution were adopted.
Board area: Not placed: the item prints no tax map key.

2. RESOLUTION 25-331

TRANSFER OF FUNDS (BFS). Authorizing a transfer not to exceed $34,400,000 in General Fund monies from the Provision for Hazard Pay activity (current expenses character of expenditure ("COE")) to the Provision for Hazard Pay activity (salaries COE) for the fiscal year 2026 in order to record salaries in the Provision for Hazard Pay activity. (Transmitted by Communication D-865[25])

The measure in the council's system: RES25-331: RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS. Introduced by TOMMY WATERS - By Request, Dec. 23, 2025
Last event, as the system prints it: Jan. 28, 2026. Committee report and Resolution were adopted.
Board area: Not placed: the item prints no tax map key.

3. RESOLUTION 26-5

TRANSFER OF FUNDS (BFS). Authorizing a transfer (totaling $15,193,210) not to exceed $15,143,120 in General Fund monies, $12,750 in Liquor Fund monies, $35,780 in Transportation Fund monies, and $1,560 in Solid Waste Special Fund monies from the Provision for Salary Adjustments and Accrued Vacation Pay activity (current expenses character of expenditure ("COE")) to the activities of the executive agencies (salaries COE) to fund authorized pay increases and accrued vacation payouts. (Transmitted by Communication D-7[26])

The measure in the council's system: RES26-005: RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS. Introduced by TOMMY WATERS - By Request, Jan. 7, 2026
Last event, as the system prints it: Jan. 28, 2026. Committee report and Resolution as amended were adopted.
Board area: Not placed: the item prints no tax map key.

What else the agenda prints under this item

Related communication: CC-1(26) Council Chair Waters, requesting information relating to Communication D-7(26).

4. BILL 54 (2025), CD1

RELATING TO PUBLIC TRANSIT. Updating and amending certain sections of Chapter 15B, Revised Ordinances of Honolulu 2021 as they pertain to the fare structure for the Multimodal Municipal Transportation System. (Bill passed second reading and public hearing held 9/3/25; Committee amended to CD2 and postponed 9/23/25) CD2 TO BILL 54 (2025), CD1 (Approved by the Committee at its September 23, 2025 meeting) – The CD2 (OCS2025-0779/9/24/2025 11:45 AM) makes the following amendments: A. In SECTION 2, which amends ROH Section 15B-2.1, amends the bill as follows: 1. Amends subsection (b) by: a. Adding a 'senior citizen (Hawaii residents only)' passenger category to the fare structure table; b. Adding Medicare cardholders to the list of individuals eligible for reduced fares; and c. Clarifying which passengers are eligible for the reduced fare for different rides and passes. 2. Deletes subsection (k), which removes personal care attendants from the exception to paying a fare for the city bus system and the city rail system. (As noted in D-639 (2025), this does not affect free fares for personal care attendants utilizing paratransit travel (TheHandi-Van), which is mandated by federal laws and covered under ROH § 15B-4.5(e).) Re-letters subsequent subsections. 3. Amends now proposed subsection (I) (formerly subsection (n) in the CD1) to provide that the Department of Transportation Services (rather than the Director of Transportation Services) may establish a special single ride fare for transportation to and from the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. 4. Amends proposed subsection (m), to provide that the Department of Transportation Services (rather than the Director of Transportation Services) may establish a special events single ride fare for certain special events. Clarifies that the special events single ride fare will be cash only and will be sold at $6.25 for all passenger categories under subsection (b). B. Makes miscellaneous technical and nonsubstantive amendments.

The measure in the council's system: BILL054(25): RELATING TO PUBLIC TRANSIT. Introduced by TOMMY WATERS - By Request, July 22, 2025
Last event, as the system prints it: Feb. 19, 2026. Final reading notice published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Board area: Not placed: the item prints no tax map key.

What else the agenda prints under this item

PROPOSED CD2 TO BILL 54 (2025), CD1 (Submitted by Councilmember Okimoto) – The CD2 (OCS2025-0954/12/16/2025 3:02 PM) makes the following amendments: A. In SECTION 2 of the bill, which amends ROH § 15B-2.1: 1. Amends subsection (b) by: a. Adding Medicare cardholders to the list of individuals eligible for reduced fares; and b. Lowering the reduced fare for certain ride types and adding language to clarify that the reduced fare is available to senior citizens, persons with a disability, paratransit eligibility ID holders, Medicare cardholders, and individuals with extremely low incomes; provided that the discounted fare for the monthly pass and annual pass is limited to persons eligible for a reduced fare who are also residents of Hawaii. 2. Amends proposed new subsection (m), to provide that the Department of Transportation Services (rather than the Director of Transportation Services) may establish a special event single ride fare for certain special events. Clarifies that the special event single ride fare will be sold at $6.25 for all passenger categories under subsection (b). Makes conforming amendments to the definition of "Single Ride Fare Special Event" (now "Special Event Single Ride Fare") in subsection (a). 3. Amends proposed new subsection (n), to provide that the Department of Transportation Services (rather than the Director of Transportation Services) may establish a special single ride fare for transportation to and from the Daniel K. lnouye International Airport. B. In SECTION 6 of the bill, amends the effective date from January 1, 2026 to July 1, 2026. C. Makes miscellaneous technical and nonsubstantive amendments.

5. BILL 55 (2025), CD1

RELATING TO MULTI-FAMILY RENTAL HOUSING PROGRAM FEES. Establishing fees for the City and County of Honolulu’s Multi-Family Rental Housing Program. (Bill passed second reading and public hearing held 12/3/25)

The measure in the council's system: BILL055(25): RELATING TO MULTI-FAMILY RENTAL HOUSING PROGRAM FEES. Introduced by TOMMY WATERS - By Request, July 30, 2025
Last event, as the system prints it: Feb. 19, 2026. Final reading notice published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Board area: Not placed: the item prints no tax map key.

What else the agenda prints under this item

PROPOSED CD2 TO BILL 55 (2025), CD1 (Submitted by Councilmember Okimoto) – The CD2 (OCS2025-0941/12/15/2025 9:32 AM) makes the following amendments: A. In SECTION 4 of the bill, amends references to "HRS Chapter 356D" to "HRS Chapter 201H." B. In SECTION 5 of the bill, provides that fees collected must be deposited into a special account in the General Fund (rather than deposited into the proposed new Multi-Family Rental Housing Program account of the Housing Development Special Fund). C. Deletes SECTION 6 and SECTION 7 of the bill, which would have established the proposed new Multi-Family Rental Housing Program account in the Housing Development Special Fund and established other related provisions. Renumbers subsequent SECTIONS of the bill. D. Makes miscellaneous technical and nonsubstantive amendments.

6. BILL 63 (2025), CD1

RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION. Addressing the dedication of certain property for affordable long-term residential rental use. (Bill passed second reading and public hearing held 12/3/25)

The measure in the council's system: BILL063(25): RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION. Introduced by ESTHER KIAʻĀINA, Sept. 22, 2025
Last event, as the system prints it: Feb. 19, 2026. Final reading notice published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Board area: Not placed: the item prints no tax map key.

7. BILL 76 (2025)

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY. Enhancing governmental transparency in the City and County of Honolulu. (Bill passed first reading 12/3/25)

The measure in the council's system: BILL076(25): RELATING TO GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY. Introduced by TOMMY WATERS, VAL OKIMOTO, Nov. 26, 2025
Last event, as the system prints it: Feb. 5, 2026. Second reading notice published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Board area: Not placed: the item prints no tax map key.

8. BILL 77 (2025)

RELATING TO BUDGET EXECUTION. Amending provisions related to budget execution. (Bill passed first reading 12/3/25)

The measure in the council's system: BILL077(25): RELATING TO BUDGET EXECUTION. Introduced by SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, TYLER DOS SANTOS-TAM, Nov. 26, 2025
Last event, as the system prints it: Feb. 5, 2026. Second reading notice published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Board area: Not placed: the item prints no tax map key.

Read by script from the agenda PDF (pipeline/auto_zon_agendas.py): the items were lifted by pattern, and the agenda was added only because every numbered line parsed; a person has not reviewed this page. Only the items under the agenda's “For action” headings are carried; briefings and presentations printed before them are not. Copied from the committee's agenda in the City Council's document system, read Sept. 19, 2026. Measure numbers, headings, names, figures and dates are the council's; page headers and page numbers were removed and nothing else was changed. An item is placed in a board area only by a tax map key it prints, checked against the State of Hawaiʻi's parcel layer, or by the map point of a department file it names. A place name alone does not place an item. The Ledger has not read the bills, resolutions or committee reports and takes no position.