Kalbert Young,
UH vice president for budget and finance and chief financial officer, shares his analysis of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature 2021 session.
The 2021 Legislature adjourned on April 29, after passing more than 260 bills, which the governor will now consider for enactment. Some of these bills will impact the University of Hawaiʻi either directly or indirectly.
This was the first year of the Legislature’s biennium (two-year cycle). Since lingering tax revenue impacts from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are still a major factor on the state budget, and federal stimulus aid has recently been enacted to help the state, the budget bill was arguably the most significant measure of the session. The following will highlight components of the budget as it relates to
UH vice president for budget and finance and chief financial officer, shares his analysis of the 2021
UH budget request to the Legislature.
Update: December 29, 2020: Gov. David Ige has determined that furloughs of state employees are not
necessary this fiscal year and will be delayed until at least July 1, 2021.
Operating budget
On Thursday, November 19, 2020, the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (
BOR) approved a biennium operating budget request that was submitted to the governor and, separately, the Legislature. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the economic condition of the state, and the forecasted decline in state revenues, the university’s request did not seek any increase over current appropriation levels. The budget request primarily included transfers between campuses and moving the $4 million general fund subsidy for athletics into the base budget.