# Hawaii SB 1543: RELATING TO GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY.

Hawaii SB 1543, RELATING TO GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) Senate bill sponsored by Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic); status passed senate, last action 2025-03-06 (Pass First Reading) (as of 2026-10-28).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1543-2025
- As of: 2026-10-28
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 1543
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY.
- Status: passed senate
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-22
- Last action: 2025-03-06, Pass First Reading
- Sponsor: Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 10
- Subjects: External Consultants, Purchasing Agencies, Disclosure Requirements, Spending Caps, Audit, Reports, LAB, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires each purchasing agency to provide justification for hiring external consultants. Caps the amount each agency can spend on external consultants. Requires each agency to seek approval from the Legislature for consulting contracts exceeding a certain dollar amount. Requires each agency to disclose new contracts with external consultants. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Requires the Compliance Audit Unit to conduct regular audits of agency consultant contracts to assess cost-effectiveness and compliance. Requires each chief procurement officer to ensure that inherent government functions are not delegated to a contractor. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Lynn DeCoite (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Donovan M. Dela Cruz (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kurt Fevella (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mike Gabbard (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Michelle N. Kidani (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Angus L.K. McKelvey (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsor: Glenn Wakai (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (16)

- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 367) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-02-27: Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 751) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-18-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Reported from GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 323) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Gabbard, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: The committee(s) on GVO deferred the measure until 02-06-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225. (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: The committee(s) on GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-25 3:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Referred to GVO, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-22: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1543_SD2_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1543_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1543_.PDF)
- SB1543_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1543_SD1_.HTM)
- SB1543_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1543_SD2_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES. (signed)
- SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY. (signed)
- HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS. (signed)
- HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1543_SD2_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1543_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1543_.PDF)
- [SB1543_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1543_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB1543_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1543_SD2_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB572-2025)
- [HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB431-2025)
- [HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB420-2025)
- [SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1296-2025)
- [HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB830-2025)
- [HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1064-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1543-2025 (as of 2026-10-28).