HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	183
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the DEPARTMENT of taxation and the Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaii to collaborate and develop data driven ANALYSES of the impacts of tax policies on economic development, migration patterns, and other factors affecting public policy.

WHEREAS, the Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaii (UHERO) operates as a public-private partnership, leveraging state funding to secure additional grants, contracts, and philanthropic contributions, thereby allowing UHERO to expand its research and deliver actionable insights that benefit Hawai‘i’s communities; and

WHEREAS, UHERO plays a critical role in providing independent, high-quality economic analysis to guide state leaders in making informed policy decisions; and

WHEREAS, the need for rigorous, data-driven research has never been greater as Hawai‘i policymakers confront increasing economic uncertainty, shifting federal policies, and ongoing challenges such as high cost of living, lack of affordable housing, economic inequality, ensuring that non-residents and tourists contribute fairly to our shared costs, and tax policy shifts at the local and national level; and

WHEREAS, complex challenges demand informed and innovative solutions that require precise, data-driven policymaking; and

WHEREAS, the state’s ability to fully utilize its own data remains constrained by limited analytical capacity, data sharing protocols and limitations, and data reliability and security issues; and

WHEREAS, recent progress made by the Department of Taxation, Enterprise Technology Services, and UHERO to collaborate and enhance capacity to develop advanced models and analyses, and resolve issues related to the use of non-aggregated data, will strengthen research capabilities at both UHERO and DoTAX, enabling the state to make better use of its data to design, analyze, and evaluate tax policy; and

WHEREAS, this progress will play a pivotal role in designing better-targeted policies and improve policy evaluation to ensure programs achieve their intended goals, deliver valuable insights to refine tax policies, equip policymakers with the tools to create fair, effective, and efficient tax

policies that address Hawai‘i’s most pressing challenges; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, that TAX and UHERO collaborate with any other agency or organization to:

(1) Provide rigorous analysis addressing the overall impact of state, local, and federal tax policies on cost of living, affordable housing, migration flows, and economic development opportunities;

(2) Use tax data to analyze how policies shape population and workforce movements;

(3) Develop targeted policies that reduce burdens on low- and moderate-income households;

(4) Evaluate strategies to ensure non-residents and visitors contribute fairly while minimizing impacts on residents;

(5) Identify barriers preventing eligible residents from claiming tax credits;

(6) Determine the efficiency and efficacy of tax credits and tax exemptions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Department of Taxation and the Executive Director of UHERO.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Requesting the Department of Taxation and the Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaii to collaborate and develop data driven analyses of the impacts of tax policies on economic development, migration patterns, and other factors affecting public policy.