# Hawaii HB 542: RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII PROMISE PROGRAM.

Hawaii HB 542, RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII PROMISE PROGRAM., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Andrew Takuya Garrett (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-02-02 (Re-Referred to EDU, WAM.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB542-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 542
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII PROMISE PROGRAM.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2026-02-02, Re-Referred to EDU, WAM.
- Sponsor: Andrew Takuya Garrett (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Subjects: University of Hawaii, Scholarships, Appropriation, EDU, WAM
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 4 (114 yes, 3 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Expands the Hawaii promise program to provide scholarships for the unmet needs of qualified students at any four-year university of Hawaii campus who meet certain criteria. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Andrew Takuya Garrett (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jeanne Kapela (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Darius K. Kila (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: LA CHICA
- Cosponsor: Ikaika Olds (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kanani Souza (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-28 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 47 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-21 | House | The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 12 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-11 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN... | pass | 46 | 3 |   |
| 2025-02-07 | House | The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (16)

- 2026-02-02: Re-Referred to EDU, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-03-04: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 108). (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Referred to HRE, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 915), recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2025-02-28: Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2025-02-21: The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 12 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Miyake, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Lee, M., Morikawa, Alcos, Ward. (House)
- 2025-02-19: Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Friday, 02-21-25 10:00AM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-02-11: Reported from HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 408) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. (House)
- 2025-02-11: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick voting no (3) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2). (House)
- 2025-02-07: The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Amato, Kapela, Kila, La Chica, Olds, Sayama, Woodson, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Evslin, Muraoka. (House)
- 2025-02-04: Bill scheduled to be heard by HED on Friday, 02-07-25 2:00PM in University of Hawaii at Manoa, Bachman Hall, Board of Regents Conference Room 106, 2444 Dole Street VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-01-21: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to HED, FIN, referral sheet 2 (House)
- 2025-01-17: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB542_HD1_.pdf)
- HB542_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB542_HD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB542_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB542_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB542_HD1_.pdf)
- [HB542_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB542_HD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB542_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB542_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2964-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB542-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).