Kalbert Young, UH vice president for budget and finance and chief financial officer, provides an update of the legislative session as it heads into its final weeks before the scheduled May 4 adjournment.
The 2023 state legislature is in the final three weeks before its scheduled adjournment on May 4. That means that a number of legislative measures—most notably, the budget—are on their way to the last phase of deliberation this session. The state Senate approved its version of the state budget (HB 300 HD1 SD1) on April 11, and only partially restored funds to UH to current operating levels for the first year of the biennium. By contrast, the budget passed by the House of Representatives (HB 300 HD1) earlier in the session fully restored funding, as reported in the March 21 legislative update.
If the Senate’s version ultimately passes, it would require the university to come back to the Legislature in 2024 to again request restoration of state support to funded operating levels that were in place before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Restoration of public funding levels to the university was the top legislative priority for UH this legislative session along with expanding the Hawaiʻi Promise program to the three four-year universities and funding to address healthcare workforce shortages.
The Senate provided no funding to expand Hawaiʻi Promise and only provided funding for 1 of the 14 requests for additional funding to help address workforce shortages in the healthcare industry.
The General Fund Budget table (at the bottom of the online story) compares the total general fund budgets for the campuses in the UH Board of Regents, governor, House and Senate versions of the operating budget and the dozens of added items.
The House and the Senate will now begin to negotiate their differences on the budget bills and other measures that are still alive in conference committees. This final process of the session is where selected conferees from each chamber meet behind closed doors to work out differences between their versions of the bills and pass out amended drafts that both chambers agree on. The outcomes of these meetings will ultimately decide funding for UH and other state agencies.
Capital improvement projects
For the capital improvement projects (CIP) budget, UH requested $262.5 million for FY24 and $296 million for FY25 in additional General Obligation Bonds to address capital renewal, progress on deferred maintenance and funding for projects to modernize each of the campuses within the UH System. The plan was for the funds to be equitably and proportionally dispersed.
The Senate’s budget includes $142.5 million for FY24 and $93.7 million for FY25 in General Obligation Bond funding and $91 million for FY24 and $54 million for FY25 in General Funds for various projects.
Upon review and examination of the Senate version of the budget, it appears funds and reductions are disproportionately appropriated in favor of the UH Community Colleges. UH was provided a total of $233.5 million in the aggregate. Of that amount, the UH Community Colleges account for $173.9 million, or 74% of the total amount, even though the seven community colleges make up just 22% of UH’s total gross square footage.
The Senate budget bill provides three individual (yet, repetitive) $35 million appropriations in FY24 for repairing and/or renovating UH Community College facilities. While UH Manoa accounts for 67% of the system’s total square footage, the amount appropriated for Renew/Improve/Modernize (RIM) for UH Manoa, UH Hilo and UH West Oʻahu campuses, totaled just $17.5 million.
Without at least $50 million per year in RIM funding, UH’s deferred maintenance backlog is estimated to increase to nearly $1 billion in the next few years. Outside of the Community Colleges, UH currently has at least $80 million of shovel-ready projects that will have to wait another year if funding is not allocated in the final budget.
The CIP budget comparison table (at the bottom of the online story) compares the BOR, governor, House and Senate budgets.
2023 legislative session remaining timeline
The next major deadline will be the final decking of bills on April 28. By this time, all bills must have concluded deliberation in conference committees of both the House and Senate. The Hawaiʻi State Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 4, 2023.
General Fund Budget Table
| Campus | Description | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board | Governor | House | Senate | ||||||
| FY24 | FY25 | FY24 | FY25 | FY24 | FY25 | FY24 | FY25 | ||
| RESTORATION OF FUNDS | |||||||||
| UH Mānoa | General Fund Restoration | $5,600,000 | $5,600,000 | $5,600,000 | $5,600,000 | $5,600,000 | $5,600,000 | $5,600,000 | |
| JABSOM | General Fund Restoration | $1,800,000 | $1,800,000 | $1,800,000 | $1,800,000 | $1,800,000 | $1,800,000 | $1,800,000 | |
| UH Hilo | General Fund Restoration | $3,420,000 | $3,420,000 | $3,420,000 | $3,420,000 | $3,420,000 | $3,420,000 | $3,420,000 | |
| UH West Oʻahu | General Fund Restoration | $1,620,000 | $1,620,000 | $1,620,000 | $1,620,000 | $1,620,000 | $1,620,000 | $1,620,000 | |
| UH System | General Fund Restoration | $5,086,848 | $5,086,848 | $5,086,848 | $5,086,848 | $5,086,848 | $5,086,848 | $5,086,848 | |
| SUSTAINED FUNDING | |||||||||
| UH Mānoa | Athletics Subsidy Continuation | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | |
| UH Hilo | Athletics Subsidy Continuation | $400,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 | $400,000 | |
| UH Mānoa | HIMB Full Year Funding | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 |
| JABSOM | GME Residency Full Year Funding | $1,670,000 | $1,670,000 | $660,000 | $660,000 | $660,000 | $660,000 | $660,000 | $660,000 |
| JABSOM | Neighbor Island MD Expansion Continuation | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | |
| HAWAIʻI PROMISE PROGRAM | |||||||||
| UH Mānoa | Hawaiʻi Promise Expansion | $12,300,000 | $12,300,000 | $12,300,000 | $12,300,000 | $12,300,000 | $12,300,000 | ||
| UH Hilo | Hawaiʻi Promise Expansion | $1,700,000 | $1,700,000 | $1,700,000 | $1,700,000 | $1,700,000 | $1,700,000 | ||
| UH West Oʻahu | Hawaiʻi Promise Expansion | $5,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $5,000,000 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | Hawaiʻi Promise Continuation | $3,700,000 | $3,700,000 | $3,700,000 | $3,700,000 | $3,700,000 | $3,700,000 | $3,700,000 | |
| CAMPUS FACILITIES AND CORE SERVICES | |||||||||
| UH Hilo | Security Officers | $313,320 | $313,320 | ||||||
| UH West Oʻahu | Security Officers | $30,900 | $61,800 | ||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Security Officers | $693,780 | $1,456,938 | $693,780 | $1,456,938 | $1 | $1 | $693,780 | $1,456,938 |
| UH Hilo | IT Support | $160,000 | $160,000 | ||||||
| UH Hilo | Analytical Lab Manager | $80,000 | $80,000 | ||||||
| UH West Oʻahu | Campus and ACM Support | $162,996 | $325,992 | ||||||
| EARLY COLLEGE EXPANSION | |||||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Early College Expansion | $577,500 | $1,212,750 | ||||||
| UH West Oʻahu | Early College Expansion | $90,000 | $180,000 | ||||||
| UH Hilo | Early College Expansion | $90,000 | $180,000 | ||||||
| INITIATIVE: SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS | |||||||||
| UH West Oʻahu | Student Success Support | $261,252 | $522,504 | ||||||
| UH Community Colleges | UH Maui College—Health Center | $98,500 | $200,250 | $98,500 | 200,250 | $98,500 | 200,250 | $98,500 | 200,250 |
| UH Community Colleges | UH Maui College-Distance Learning | $73,500 | $147,750 | ||||||
| UH Mānoa | Kūlia I Ka Nuʻu Undergraduate Research Initiative | $721,600 | $1,058,400 | ||||||
| UH Hilo | Transfer Center | $60,000 | $60,000 | ||||||
| UH Hilo | Career Advising and Internship Admin | $60,000 | $60,000 | ||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Windward CC—Incarcerated Students | $125,500 | $241,550 | ||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Hawaiʻi CC—Incarcerated Students | $37,500 | $78,750 | ||||||
| ADDRESS AREAS OF STATE NEED | |||||||||
| UH Hilo | Administration of Justice Program Expansion | $142,000 | $142,000 | ||||||
| UH Hilo | MA Teaching Expansion and Kahuawaiola Indigenous Teacher Education | $210,000 | $210,000 | ||||||
| UH Hilo | MA Counseling Psychology | $210,000 | $210,000 | ||||||
| UH Hilo | CAFNRM Sustainable Agribusiness | $100,000 | $100,000 | ||||||
| UH West Oʻahu | Teacher Preparation | $70,676 | $141,352 | ||||||
| INDUSTRY INITIATIVE: HEALTH | |||||||||
| UH West Oʻahu | Health and Wellness | $147,158 | $294,316 | $147,158 | $294,316 | $147,158 | $294,316 | ||
| UH Mānoa | Health Science Initiative | $477,009 | $688,473 | $477,009 | $688,473 | $477,009 | $688,473 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | Kapiʻolani CC—Allied Health Professions and NI Expansion | $761,000 | $761,000 | $761,000 | $761,000 | $761,000 | $761,000 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | Windward CC—CNA Program Support | $86,000 | $86,000 | $86,000 | $86,000 | ||||
| UH Community Colleges | Kauaʻi CC—Medical Assisting Program Support | $232,000 | $232,000 | $232,000 | $232,000 | $232,000 | $232,000 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | Kapiʻolani CC—Nursing Clinical Faculty | $259,998 | $259,998 | $259,998 | $259,998 | $259,998 | $259,998 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | Hawaiʻi CC—Nursing Program Maintenance and Expansion | $474,000 | $474,000 | $474,000 | $474,000 | $474,000 | $474,000 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | Kauaʻi CC—Nursing Faculty | $258,000 | $258,000 | $258,000 | $258,000 | ||||
| UH Community Colleges | UH Maui College—Nursing Faculty | $172,000 | $172,000 | $172,000 | $172,000 | $172,000 | $172,000 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | UH Maui College—CNA to LPN Program Support | $86,000 | $86,000 | $86,000 | $86,000 | $86,000 | $86,000 | ||
| UH Mānoa | UH West Oʻahu–UH Mānoa Nursing Collaboration | $503,000 | $503,000 | $503,000 | $503,000 | ||||
| UH Mānoa | NAWSON Programs and Training Support | $661,430 | $661,430 | $661,430 | $661,430 | $661,430 | $661,430 | ||
| UH Hilo | Nursing Faculty Support | $198,000 | $198,000 | $198,000 | $198,000 | ||||
| UH Mānoa | Adjust UH West Oʻahu–UH Mānoa NAWSON Collaboration Request | $423,000 | $1 | ||||||
| UH Hilo | Adjust UH Hilo School of Nursing Request | $430,306 | $461,717 | $1 | $1 | ||||
| UH Mānoa | Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health-Training Hubs | $457,000 | $457,000 | $1 | $1 | $228,500 | $457,000 | ||
| UH Mānoa | UH West Oʻahu–UH Mānoa NAWSON Collaboration Request | $628,306 | $659,717 | $1 | $1 | ||||
| UH Hilo | UH Hilo Nursing Faculty | $503,000 | $926,000 | $1 | $1 | ||||
| GOVERNOR’S ADD-ONS | |||||||||
| UH Mānoa | Restore Funds for Previously Unfunded Positions | $6,073,157 | $6,073,157 | ||||||
| JABSOM | Restore Funds for Previously Unfunded Positions | $926,843 | $926,843 | ||||||
| UH Cancer Center | Restore Funds for Previously Unfunded Positions | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | ||||||
| UH Hilo | Restore Funds for Previously Unfunded Positions | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | ||||||
| UH West Oʻahu | Restore Funds for Previously Unfunded Positions | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | ||||||
| HOUSE ADD-ONS | |||||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Office of International and Regional Partnerships Study Abroad Program | $15,000 | |||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Placeholder Amounts for Transfers | $12 | $12 | ||||||
| UH System | IT Equipment | $75,000 | $75,000 | ||||||
| SENATE ADD-ONS | |||||||||
| UH Mānoa | CIP—Waikīkī Aquarium Seawall Repair | $3,000,000 | |||||||
| UH Mānoa | Water Resources Research Center—Wastewater Demo Pilot Program | $3,025,468 | |||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Repairs and Maintenance and Deferred Maintenance | $35,000,000 | |||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Non-Credit Workforce Development | $578,240 | $578,240 | ||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Campus Coordinators and Counselors (Early College) | $577,500 | $1,212,750 | ||||||
| Total | $56,266,967 | $59,399,921 | $63,698,835 | $65,831,187 | $50,031,460 | $50,476,833 | $70,774,336 | $4,650,678 | |
CIP Budget Table
| Campus | Description | MOF | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board of Regents | Executive Request | House | Senate | |||||||
| FY24 | FY245 | FY24 | FY245 | FY24 | FY245 | FY24 | FY245 | |||
| UH System | Renew, Improve and Modernize | C | $100,000,000 | $100,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| UH System | Renew, Improve and Modernize | A | $30,000,000 | $30,000,000 | $30,000,000 | $30,000,000 | $11,000,000 | $22,500,000 | ||
| UH Hilo | Renew, Improve and Modernize | C | $17,500,000 | $26,500,000 | $17,500,000 | $26,500,000 | $10,000,000 | $26,500,000 | $6,500,000 | $24,000,000 |
| UH Community Colleges | Renew, Improve and Modernize | C | $25,000,000 | $25,000,000 | ||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Renew, Improve and Modernize | A | $25,000,000 | $25,000,000 | $25,000,000 | $25,000,000 | $60,000,000 | $25,000,000 | ||
| UH West Oʻahu | Renew, Improve and Modernize | C | $5,000,000 | $3,500,000 | $5,000,000 | $3,500,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | ||
| UH Mānoa | PV Rooftop and Canopies and various Energy Efficiency Projects | C | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | |||
| UH Community Colleges | Minor CIP | C | $25,000,000 | $25,000,000 | ||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Minor CIP | A | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $25,000,000 | $25,000,000 | ||
| UH Mānoa | Assessment and Feasibility of Hamilton Library | C | $6,500,000 | |||||||
| UH West Oʻahu | Road B Entry Plaza | C | $5,500,000 | $5,500,000 | $1,000 | |||||
| UH Community Colleges | Kapiʻolani CC-Replace AC System (6930 Ohelo) | C | $15,000,000 | $15,000,000 | $15,000,000 | |||||
| UH Community Colleges | Kapiʻolani CC-Upgrade Fire Alarm System | C | $8,500,000 | $8,500,000 | $8,500,000 | |||||
| UH Mānoa | Mini Master Plan Phase 3-Kuykendall Hall | C | $5,000,000 | |||||||
| UH West Oʻahu | Campus Center Phase II | C | $49,000,000 | |||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Windward CC-Repair/Replace HVAC (5988 ʻImiloa) | C | $11,000,000 | $11,000,000 | $11,000,000 | $5,500,000 | ||||
| UH Mānoa | Athletics | C | $12,000,000 | $18,000,000 | $1,000 | $1,400,000 | ||||
| UH Mānoa | Athletics | A | $4,500,000 | |||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Kapiʻolani CC-Renovate Building (6920 Kokiʻo) | C | $2,000,000 | $10,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $10,000,000 | $10,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $10,000,000 | |
| UH Mānoa | Administrative Office and Parking | C | $8,000,000 | |||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Honolulu CC-Technology Renovations Phase 2 | C | $3,000,000 | $3,000,000 | $3,000,000 | |||||
| UH Mānoa | Holmes Hall | C | $1,500,000 | $6,000,000 | $1,500,000 | $6,000,000 | $6,000,000 | $1,500,000 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | Hawaiʻi CC-Manono Campus Development | C | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | |||||
| UH Mānoa | Waikīkī Aquarium Seawall Repair | C | $3,000,000 | $3,000,000 | $3,000,000 | |||||
| UH Mānoa | HIMB-Continue DARPA Prototype Artificial Reef | C | $50,000,000 | $50,000,000 | $25,000,000 | |||||
| UH Mānoa | HIMB-Replacement of Sewage System, Seawall and Pier | C | $10,000,000 | |||||||
| UH Community Colleges | UH Maui-Renovate Existing Buildings for Medical Education Classrooms | C | $250,000 | |||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Waiākea Research Station | C | $1,000 | $2,625,000 | ||||||
| UH System | Waialeʻe Ag Substation Improvements | A | $4,000,000 | |||||||
| UH Hilo | Library A/C Improvements | A | $1,500,000 | $8,000,000 | ||||||
| UH Hilo | RIM College Hall C Renovations | A | $1,200,000 | |||||||
| UH Hilo | RIM Portables 1-4 | A | $2,500,000 | |||||||
| UH Hilo | RIM Portables 5-7 | A | $3,000,000 | |||||||
| UH Hilo | Science Technology Building A/C Improvements | A | $1,000,000 | |||||||
| UH Hilo | University Classroom Building Renovations | A | $500,000 | $4,500,000 | ||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Kauaʻi CC–PV Rooftops/Canopies | C | $15,000,000 | |||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Kauaʻi CC-Student Dorms and Faculty/Staff Housing | A | $250,000 | |||||||
| UH Community Colleges | Various Repairs and Deferred Maintenance | A | $35,000,000 | |||||||
| UH System | Coconut Island Sewer Line Replacement/Upgrades | A | $750,000 | $5,000,000 | ||||||
| Total | $262,500,000 | $296,000,000 | $189,000,000 | $161,000,000 | $180,252,000 | $187,500,000 | $233,528,000 | $147,702,000 | ||
MOF A = General Funds, MOF C = GO Bonds
