Hawaii

Hawaii has a Constitutional Amendment from 1978 that limits the growth of appropriations to the three-year average of personal income growth.

ARTICLE VII - Taxation and Finance

LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS; PROCEDURES; EXPENDITURE CEILING

Section 9. In each regular session in an odd-numbered year, the legislature shall transmit to the governor an appropriation bill or bills providing for the anticipated total expenditures of the State for the ensuing fiscal biennium. In such session, no appropriation bill, except bills recommended by the governor for immediate passage, or to cover the expenses of the legislature, shall be passed on final reading until the bill authorizing operating expenditures for the ensuing fiscal biennium, to be known as the general appropriations bill, shall have been transmitted to the governor.

In each regular session in an even-numbered year, at such time as may be provided by law, the governor may submit to the legislature a bill to amend any appropriation for operating expenditures of the current fiscal biennium, to be known as the supplemental appropriations bill, and bills to amend any appropriations for capital expenditures of the current fiscal biennium, and at the same time the governor shall submit a bill or bills to provide for any added revenues or borrowings that such amendments may require. In each regular session in an even- numbered year, bills may be introduced in the legislature to amend any appropriation act or bond authorization act of the current fiscal biennium or prior fiscal periods. In any such session in which the legislature submits to the governor a supplemental appropriations bill, no other appropriation bill, except bills recommended by the governor for immediate passage, or to cover the expenses of the legislature, shall be passed on final reading until such supplemental appropriations bill shall have been transmitted to the governor.

GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE CEILING

Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, the legislature shall establish a general fund expenditure ceiling which shall limit the rate of growth of general fund appropriations, excluding federal funds received by the general fund, to the estimated rate of growth of the State's economy as provided by law. No appropriations in excess of such ceiling shall be authorized during any legislative session unless the legislature shall, by a two-thirds vote of the members to which each house of the legislature is entitled, set forth the dollar amount and the rate by which the ceiling will be exceeded and the reasons therefor. [Am Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5, 1968; am SB 1947-72 (1972) and election Nov 7, 1972; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

-- THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII

Hawaii’s Constitution limits the state’s Governor to two consecutive terms.

ARTICLE V

THE EXECUTIVE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EXECUTIVE

Section 1. The executive power of the State shall be vested in a governor.
The governor shall be elected by the qualified voters of this State at a
general election. The person receiving the highest number of votes shall be
the governor. In case of a tie vote, the selection of the governor shall be
determined as provided by law. The term of office of the governor shall
begin at noon on the first Monday in December next following the governor's
election and end at noon on the first Monday in December, four years
thereafter. No person shall be elected to the office of governor for more
than two consecutive full terms. No person shall be eligible for the office
of governor unless the person shall be a qualified voter, have attained the
age of thirty years and have been a resident of this State for five years
immediately preceding the person's election. The governor shall not hold any
other office or employment of profit under the State or the United States
during the governor's term of office. [Am Const Con 1968 and election Nov 5,
1968; ren and am Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978]

-- THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII
 

Created by: Jennifer L. Crull

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