Const. Art. VIII, §5
State must share costs of programs it forces on counties
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗If the Legislature makes counties or other local governments run a new program or do more of an existing one, the State must pay its share of the cost. This section is narrow and only sets that cost-sharing rule.
countiesstate agencies
The constitution, as written — Of Mandated Programs
A copy, taken August 21, 2026. The version published by the Legislature is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.
If any new program or increase in the level of service under an existing program shall be mandated to any of the political subdivisions by the legislature, it shall provide that the State share in the cost. [Add Const Con 1978 and election Nov 7, 1978] Cross References Interpretation of county functions under state water code, see §174C-4. Attorney General Opinions State not required to share cost of maintaining public highways. Att. Gen. Op. 86-15. If extending survey and reporting requirements to new enterprise zone (EZ) created by the legislature would result in an increase in the level of service under city and county's existing program, then, unless department was willing to share in the cost, city and county was not required to submit initial survey or annual report on new EZ. Att. Gen. Op. 98-1.
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.