New data tool gives side-by-side comparison of House and Senate budget drafts

Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice has announced a major update to its Hawaiʻi Budget webpage, giving advocates, policymakers, and community members a powerful new tool to track the state’s supplemental budget process in real time.

The webpage, which already featured a comprehensive breakdown of the 2025 budget bill (HB300) enacted last year for FY2025–26, now includes a second tab dedicated to tracking and comparing versions of this year’s FY2026–27 supplemental budget bill, HB1800. As the House and Senate each advance their own drafts of the bill, the page breaks down proposed funding amounts by department and program, making it easy to see where the two chambers agree—and where they diverge.

“Budget decisions are value decisions,” said Will White, Executive Director of Hawaiʻi Appleseed. “By making these complex documents accessible and searchable, we’re empowering everyday people to see exactly what their elected officials are prioritizing—and to advocate for a budget that puts working families first.”