Bill > SB3046

This bill establishes a nonrefundable Workforce Builder Tax Credit for private-sector businesses in Hawaii that employ qualified interns and apprentices, aiming to incentivize employers to offer paid work-based learning opportunities and strengthen the state's workforce pipeline. An "eligible taxpayer" is defined as a private-sector business subject to Hawaii's income taxes that hires at least one qualified intern or apprentice. A "qualified apprentice" is an individual registered in a state or federally recognized apprenticeship program, while a "qualified intern" is an individual engaged in a paid internship or work-based learning placement for at least three months that is connected to an educational institution, training program, or credential pathway. The credit amounts are $1,000 for each qualified intern and $2,000 for each qualified apprentice, with a total aggregate cap of $5,000,000 for all taxable years combined; any excess credit can be carried forward to future years. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations will certify eligibility to the Department of Taxation, and the bill requires a report to the Legislature by the 2029 session detailing the credit's impact, and appropriates funds for its administration, with the provisions taking effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026, and the law itself becoming effective on January 1, 2077.

Budget and Finance, Labor and Employment

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=3046&year=2026