HRS §46-45
County spending limits and penalties for violations
County officials and employees cannot spend or commit county money without a proper budget approval, except for taking private property for public use. If they do, they face a fine or jail time.
countiesemployees
The statute, as written — Excessive expenditures; penalty
No council, or other board, committee, department, bureau, officer, or employee of any county shall expend, or aid or participate in expending, during any period of time for any purpose, except for and in the exercise by the county of the power of eminent domain, any sum in the absence of an appropriation for the purpose for the period, or any sum in excess of an appropriation, if any, for the purpose for the period, or incur, authorize, or contract, or aid or participate in incurring, authorizing, or contracting, during any fiscal year, liabilities or obligations, whether payable during the fiscal year or not, for any or all purposes, except for and in the exercise by the county of the power of eminent domain, in excess of the amount of money available for the purposes for the county during the year. Any person who violates this section shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
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