# Hawaii SB 492: RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX.

Hawaii SB 492, RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB492-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 492
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: County Surcharge on State Tax, General Excise Tax Law, Extension, EIG, WAM
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 1 (4 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Authorizes each county that has established a surcharge on state tax before 7/1/2015 to extend the surcharge until 12/31/2045, at the same rates, if the county does so before 1/1/2028. Provides that no county surcharge on state tax authorized for a county that has not established a surcharge on state tax before 7/1/2015, shall be levied before 1/1/2019, or after 12/31/2045. Repeals certain conditions on the use of surcharges for housing infrastructure costs. Effective 5/13/2040. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-11 | Senate | The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Actions (8)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-02-14: Reported from EIG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 578) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EIG were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: The committee(s) on EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 02-11-25 3:20PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to EIG, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Passed First Reading. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB492_SD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB492_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB492_.PDF)
- SB492_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB492_SD1_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB492_SD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB492_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB492_.PDF)
- [SB492_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB492_SD1_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [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 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB492-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).