Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO CLIMATE RESILIENCE.

Establishes the Hawaii Climate Institute at the University of Hawaii. Transfers the functions of the International Pacific Research Center at the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to the Hawaii Climate Institute. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE CONVEYANCE TAX.

Renames the Beach Restoration Special Fund as the Beach Preservation and Restoration Fund. Establishes the Special Subaccount of the Special Fund. Requires that all conveyance tax revenues collected from the conveyance or transfer of real property located in whole or in part in a sea level rise exposure area be deposited into the special subaccount of the Special Fund. Allows funds in the special subaccount of the Special Fund to be used to acquire property. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO BEACHES.

Clarifies that the prohibition on the mining or taking of beach or marine deposits, including sand, seaward from the shoreline applies to licensed and unlicensed contractors. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT.

Allows public petition to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for review of the integrity of beach structures. Requires the Department to recommend the applicable county agency to order the owner of any beach structure determined to be imminently threatened to resolve, mitigate, and plan for the harmful effects of the beach structure. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT.

Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources, by 7/1/2028, to establish the Hawaii Coastal Resilience Acquisition and Leaseback Program. Establishes the Coastal Resilience Revolving Fund. Clarifies the calculation of acquisition price for coastal properties, the conditions of leasebacks, and the limitation to liability assumed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources under the Hawaii Coastal Resilience Acquisition and Leaseback Program.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS.

Requires a seller of real property adjacent to the shoreline, and the seller's agent, to disclose and include in all advertisements certain shoreline erosion issues related to the parcel. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Repeals the sunset date of Act 45, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024, thereby making permanent the authority of the counties to share in facilitating the development, construction, financing, refinancing, or other provision of mixed-use developments, including low- and moderate-income housing projects, and issue county bonds for this purpose.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Requires counties to revoke licenses for the sale of fireworks for licensees that have violated restriction on the sale of fireworks. Prohibits licensees that have violated restrictions on the sale of fireworks from obtaining a new license.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO INCARCERATED PERSONS.

Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to establish a five-year pilot program to employ and pay incarcerated individuals with fewer than five years left on their sentence the minimum wage. Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to submit reports to the Legislature. Makes an appropriation.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREARMS.

Prohibits persons with a license to carry a firearm from carrying a firearm on the licensee's person without also carrying an electric gun on the licensee's person. Requires a person's license to carry a firearm be revoked if the licensee carries a firearm without also carrying an electric gun.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

Replaces the Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission with the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

Requires businesses or restaurants open to the public to post a color-coded placard indicating whether the business or restaurant allows firearms or large knives to be brought onto the premises. By January 1, 2027, requires the Department of Law Enforcement to provide businesses and restaurants with free and easily downloadable placards. Effective 1/1/2027.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO SENTENCING.

Amends repeat offender sentencing provisions to allow sentencing courts, under certain circumstances, to sentence defendants in class C felony cases to probation with appropriate terms and conditions.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO HUNTING.

Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules regarding safe and humane hunting practices of feral pigs and hunting dog welfare standards. Establishes requirements for the hunter education program instruction. Includes the use of dogs to torture wildlife or game mammals as torture in the second degree. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE TRAFFIC CODE.

Removes references to countdown timers as it relates to pedestrian-control signals, including the requirement that pedestrians must begin crossing a roadway before a countdown timer begins.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE.

Beginning 1/1/2027, requires all health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations in the State, including Medicaid managed care programs, to cover the cost of continuous glucose monitors and related supplies under certain conditions. Allows the Departments of Health and Human Services to accept and expend funds from public and private sources to support the expansion of access to continuous glucose monitors. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO INCOME TAX CREDIT.

Establishes a nonrefundable Workforce Builder Tax Credit for employers who employ qualified interns and apprentices, to be applied to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO FINANCIAL LITERACY.

Requires the Department of Education to implement financial literacy instruction into existing courses in public high schools that have sufficient overlap with financial literacy program standards beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. Requires the Board of Education to provide professional development to teachers. Authorizes the Board of Education to adopt rules. Appropriates funds. (SD1)

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL.

Establishes one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent position for the State Building Code Council to support statewide building code coordination, permitting transparency, and modernization initiatives. Requires county reporting on building permitting performance. Requires the State Building Code Council to develop a plan for the creation of a standardized statewide permitting data system or publicly accessible dashboard and a state building code modernization and transparency initiative. Requires the State Building Code Council to develop standardized credentials and training requirements for permitting officials. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO TRADE-ORIENTED PRODUCTION CAPACITY GRANT PROGRAM.

Establishes the Trade-Oriented Production Capacity Grant Program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to support one-time capital investments that expand the State's manufacturing and production capacity for trade. Provides grants for equipment, automation, and facility improvements that directly increase output, efficiency, and competitiveness for eligible businesses, with required private-sector matching funds. Prioritizes traded-sector businesses with interstate or international market potential to help generate measurable near-term trade and economic returns. Appropriates funds.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO A MARITIME YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP PATHWAY PROGRAM.

Requires Honolulu Community College, in partnership with state agencies and maritime employers, to conduct a study and develop a plan for a statewide Maritime Youth Apprenticeship Pathway Program for individuals ages 16 to 24. Requires a report to the Legislature with recommendations on program structure, resource needs, proposed legislation and implementation options. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMUNITY CARE FOSTER FAMILY HOMES.

Changes the allowed absence by a primary caregiver at a community care foster family home to 48 hours in calendar week with no absence longer than 24 consecutive hours.

Rachele LamosaoDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMUNITY CARE HOMES.

Lowers the minimum age required by Department of Health rules for substitute caregivers in community care foster family homes to eighteen years.

Rachele LamosaoDemocrat

RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES.

Appropriates moneys to the Department of Health for the development and implementation of the Comprehensive Watershed-based Water Quality Monitoring Pilot Program for the Waikele Watershed. Requires report to the Legislature. Appropriates moneys to the Division of Aquatic Resources of the Department of Land and Natural Resources for mangrove removal and shoreline and stream maintenance in the Nineteenth Senatorial District and nearby areas, including the West Loch and Middle Loch shorelines. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Rachele LamosaoDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS.

For purposes of permissible uses in agricultural districts, establishes minimum requirements for income received from agricultural activity for a family occupying a farm dwelling. Provides that the definition of a "farm dwelling" includes agricultural activity that is considered a farming operation under section 165-2, HRS, and is conducted on more than 50 per cent of the entire lot.

Rachele LamosaoDemocrat

RELATING TO FALSE IMPERSONATION OF UNION REPRESENTATIVES.

Prohibits a person from falsely impersonating an employee organization representative. Establishes a cause of action and civil remedies. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Rachele LamosaoDemocrat

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Expands the Department of Law Enforcement's Agricultural Enforcement Pilot Program to operate on the islands of Kauai and Maui.

Herbert M. "Tim" Richards IIIDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Clarifies that the Department of Health is to presume both the recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the United States Department of Health and Human Services constitute the prevailing medical standard for child health supervision services for purposes of health insurance coverage.

Herbert M. "Tim" Richards IIIDemocrat

RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.

Expands free school meal coverage, beginning with the 2029-2030 school year, to all Department of Education students regardless of whether the student participates in a federal school meals program.

Herbert M. "Tim" Richards IIIDemocrat

RELATING TO FIRE PREVENTION.

Requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the County Fire Departments to develop and administer the Community Risk Reduction Program. Defines "prescribed burn" and includes its use within the Community Risk Reduction Program. Requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to make annual reports to the Legislature.

Herbert M. "Tim" Richards IIIDemocrat

RELATING TO USE OF FORCE IN SELF-PROTECTION.

Provides that an actor is not obliged to retreat for purposes of self-defense and defense of others, from agricultural lands if the actor is lawfully present as an owner, lessee, employee, or agent of the State, unless the actor was the initial aggressor.

Herbert M. "Tim" Richards IIIDemocrat

RELATING TO TAX CREDITS.

Requires that income tax credits existing on 12/31/2026 include a sunset on 12/31/2030. Requires that income tax credits established or renewed after 12/31/2026 include a sunset 7 years after the date of enactment or renewal of the tax credit. Provides for exceptions.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO LIQUOR.

Provides that the University of Hawaii and its campuses and state libraries may utilize liquor in certain educational settings without obtaining liquor licenses, subject to certain limitations. Effective 7/1/2050. (HD1)

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROCUREMENT.

Exempts from the Hawaii Public Procurement Code procurements by the Department of Education of any amount of local edible produce and packaged food products that do not cost more than five per cent of non-local alternatives. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Establishes a framework for the creation of the Hawaii Violent Death Reporting System, to be federally funded, for the purposes of collecting information and data on violent deaths in the State. Appropriates funds.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

Appropriates funds for the Department of Health to provide health care to persons under the custody of the Director of Health who do not require hospital level of care and to petition for assisted community treatment where appropriate.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL GRANT ADMINISTRATION.

Creates an agricultural grant program and revolving fund for the purposes of grant application, execution, reporting and auditing to be administered by the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Effective July 1, 2026.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO RECORDS.

Removes outdated requirements and formats for plans filed with the registrar's office. Updates permissible drawing scales used in plans. Clarifies that statutory filing fees are set pursuant to the rules adopted by the Department of Accounting and General Services. Repeals obsolete terms such as "blueprint." Authorizes the Department of Accounting and General Services to approve the format of plans. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Prohibits a procurement officer from disclosing a competing offeror's proposal or evaluation score, except the summary of scores, during a debriefing requested by a non-selected offeror. Authorizes the disclosure of a competing offeror's proposal or evaluation score after a protest is resolved and the contract is executed.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO CIVIL SERVICE EXEMPT POSITIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES.

Exempts from the State's civil service and collective bargaining laws the following positions within the Department of Accounting and General Services: all positions filled by the Public Works Division's Special Project Branch; and all positions within the Comptroller's Office hired to support communications, change management, and business process improvement programs as part of the State's information technology modernization efforts. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. Sunsets 12/31/2031. (HD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR CLAIMS AGAINST THE STATE, ITS OFFICERS, OR ITS EMPLOYEES.

Makes appropriations and approves payments for claims against the State, its officers, and its employees.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH AND MORALS.

Clarifies and updates the sex trafficking and promoting prostitution criminal offense statutes by refining the definition of "profits from prostitution," establishing an affirmative defense to these offenses for certain lawful transactions, and making technical and other housekeeping amendments. (SD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO THEFT.

Requires a mandatory twelve-month minimum sentence of incarceration, without the possibility of parole, for a conviction of theft in the first degree when the value of the property or services stolen exceeds $250,000, whether imposed as a mandatory minimum sentence for an indeterminate term of imprisonment or as a condition of probation, in addition to any other authorized disposition such as restitution or a fine. (SD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE RETENTION OF BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE.

Specifies the types of cases in which evidence must be retained post-conviction and the process by which evidence may be disposed of earlier than the standard period of retention, which includes a procedure for defendants to oppose the disposal of biological evidence by filing an objection with the court. Authorizes the court, upon motion of a defendant or prosecutor or on the court's own motion, to order the retention of biological evidence in any felony case for a certain period under certain circumstances. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO COURT-ORDERED PAYMENTS.

Requires the Judiciary to contract with a collection agency or licensed attorney to collect delinquent court-ordered fees, fines, sanctions, and court costs. Allows courts to specify a period of time or installments for payment of fines, fees, and restitution, and requires the defendant to show cause if the defendant defaults on the payments.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

Permanently exempts specified positions of the Department of the Attorney General and its administratively attached Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission from civil service (chapter 76, HRS) and, for certain positions where the exemption from collective bargaining under chapter 89, HRS, may be unclear, to expressly provide the exemption. Makes housekeeping amendments to section 28-10.5(b), HRS.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO TOBACCO ENFORCEMENT.

Clarifies that untaxed tobacco products are subject to forfeiture as contraband, without regard to the procedures set forth in Hawaii's asset forfeiture law in the same manner as untaxed cigarettes. Confirms the authority of the Department of Taxation and the Department of the Attorney General to inspect and seize tobacco products, including electronic smoking devices and e-liquids. Amends the fine for corporations that unlawfully sell or purchase packages of cigarettes without stamps. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat