Bill > SB1528

This bill increases the cigarette tax from sixteen cents to eighteen cents per cigarette beginning January 1, 2026, with the specific purpose of providing additional financial support to the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund. The legislation is motivated by the declining cigarette tax revenues due to decreased smoking rates, which have threatened the funding for the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center serving Hawaii and the Pacific. The bill amends existing tax laws to allocate the two-cent tax increase entirely to the cancer research special fund, ensuring continued resources for cancer research, particularly focused on the diverse ethnic groups in Hawaii and the Pacific. The bill aims to secure ongoing funding for debt service on revenue bonds issued in 2010 for the cancer center's construction and to maintain the center's ability to conduct critical cancer research. The tax increase and fund allocation will help support the cancer center's mission, especially in light of rising cancer diagnosis rates, with nearly 40% of adults expected to experience cancer in their lifetime and an average of 7,393 local residents diagnosed with invasive cancer annually.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1528&year=2026