HB 2057: City and County of Honolulu Mayor's Package; Department of Information Technology; DMV systems; Grant-in-Aid; Appropriation

A BILL FOR AN ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Hawaii is unique among all other states in the nation for having driver's license and motor vehicle application systems managed and operated by a county within the state instead of having a state managed and operated application system.  This arrangement has its roots in the earliest days of statehood and the unique make-up of the four counties of the State.

     The legislature further finds that the application system currently being managed and operated by the city and county of Honolulu was developed in the 1970s and operates on a system of code that has become increasingly antiquated and that hinders further development and maintenance of this system due to its outdated technology.  Furthermore, the current application system is operated on a mainframe hosted by the city and county of Honolulu that itself is becoming increasingly outdated.

     The legislature finds that the upgrade of the existing application system will increase efficiency of operations, enable easier access to these systems by the departments of motor vehicles and law enforcement which access this information, and will reduce maintenance costs by switching from a physical mainframe maintained by the city and county of Honolulu to a cloud-based service.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to provide a grant‑in-aid to the department of information technology of the city and county of Honolulu for the upgrade of this vital system.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 as a grant-in-aid to the department of information technology of the city and county of Honolulu for the implementation of upgrades to the driver's license and motor vehicle application systems; provided that no funds shall be expended unless the city and county of Honolulu provides matching funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis for the purpose for which this sum is appropriated.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of information technology of the city and county of Honolulu for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

Report Title:

City and County of Honolulu Mayor's Package; Department of Information Technology; DMV systems; Grant-in-Aid; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates moneys as a grant-in-aid to the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Information Technology to upgrade the driver's license and motor vehicle application systems, subject to a dollar-for-dollar match.  (HD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the State of Hawaii is unique among all other states in the nation for having driver's license and motor vehicle application systems managed and operated by a county within the state instead of having a state managed and operated application system.  This arrangement has its roots in the earliest days of statehood and the unique make-up of the four counties of the State.

     The legislature further finds that the application system currently being managed and operated by the city and county of Honolulu was developed in the 1970's and operates on a system of code that has become increasingly antiquated and that hinders further development and maintenance of this system due to its outdated technology.  Furthermore, the current application system is operated on a mainframe hosted in the city and county that itself is becoming increasingly outdated.

     The legislature finds that the upgrade of the existing application system will increase efficiency of operations, enable easier access to these systems by the departments of motor vehicles and law enforcement which access this information, and will reduce maintenance costs by switching from a physical mainframe maintained by the city and county of Honolulu to a cloud-based service.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to provide a grant‑in-aid to the department of information technology of the city and county of Honolulu for the upgrade of this vital system.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $10,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 as a grant-in-aid to the department of information technology of the city and county of Honolulu for the implementation of upgrades to the driver's license and motor vehicle application systems.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of information technology of the city and county of Honolulu for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

Report Title:

City and County of Honolulu Mayor's Package; Department of Information Technology; DMV systems; Grant-in-Aid; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates moneys as a grant-in-aid to the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Information Technology to upgrade the driver's license and motor vehicle application systems.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  659-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2026

RE:   H.B. No. 2057

      H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 2057 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds as a grant-in-aid to the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Information Technology to upgrade the driver's license and motor vehicle application systems.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Department of Information Technology for the City and County of Honolulu; and Department of Customer Services for the City and County of Honolulu.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the City and County of Honolulu operates an aging driver's license and motor vehicle application system built on outdated 1970s-era mainframe technology that limits functionality, increases maintenance challenges, and poses long-term reliability concerns.  Modernizing this system through a cloud-based upgrade will improve efficiency, enhance access for motor vehicle and law enforcement agencies, and reduce operational and maintenance costs.  By appropriating funds as a grant-in-aid for this purpose, this measure supports the modernization, security, and continued reliability of essential public services.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

     (2)  Specifying that the appropriation is subject to a dollar-for-dollar match from the City and County of Honolulu; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $10,000,000.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2057, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2057, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,