Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

Shortens the period within which certain judicial proceedings involving environmental assessments and environmental impact statements for actions that propose the use of land for, or construction of, affordable housing or clean energy projects must be initiated. Requires judicial proceedings involving actions that propose the use of land for, or construction of, affordable housing or clean energy projects to be filed directly with the Supreme Court and prohibits the Supreme Court from awarding attorneys' fees in these judicial proceedings.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATOR STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT.

Establishes the Educator Student Loan Repayment Program to provide for the repayment of qualified student loans for certain educators in the State. Appropriates funds.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO RETIREMENT.

Provides elective officers with the choice to be members of the Employees' Retirement System after each election. Repeals the condition that a choice to be excluded from the Employees' Retirement System is irrevocable and such choice may only be made once.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO VOTING.

Authorizes state agencies to implement automatic voter registration if designated by the Office of Elections. Requires eligible applicants for instruction permits, provisional licenses, driver's licenses, and identification cards to be automatically registered or preregistered to vote unless the applicant opts out.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST.

Requires the office of the legislative analyst to produce fiscal notes on all fiscal bills. Prohibits a committee from making a decision on a fiscal bill without a fiscal note. Mandates that fiscal notes be made available to the public. Appropriates funds.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO CIVIC EDUCATION.

Establishes a Civic Education Grant Program to provide support to public middle and intermediate schools in providing civic education to students through department approved programming. Establishes a Civic Education Trust Fund.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Appropriates funds to: (1) the counties for more voter service centers for in-person voting; (2) the Office of Elections to print and mail the digital voter information guide to all registered voters; and (3) the Office of Elections to support a public outreach and engagement campaign to encourage greater voter participation.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS.

Establishes an independent complaint and investigation process by requiring that all complaints brought by employees, officers, and trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs be referred directly to an appropriate independent state agency, including the department of the attorney general, the state ethics commission, or the Hawaii civil rights commission. Establishes penalties.

Samantha DeCorteRepublican

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Provides that any corporation operating under state law shall hold all the corporate powers it previously held; provided that nothing in state law shall be construed to grant or recognize any corporate power to engage in election activity.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST.

Requires the office of the legislative analyst to produce fiscal notes on all fiscal bills. Prohibits a committee from making a decision on a fiscal bill without a fiscal note. Mandates that fiscal notes be made available to the public. Appropriates funds.

Brenton AwaRepublican

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Requires a minimum number of voter service centers open the day of the general election.

Brenton AwaRepublican

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XVI, SECTION 3.5, OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO ESTABLISH SALARY INCREASE LIMITS FOR JUSTICES AND JUDGES OF ALL STATE COURTS, MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, DEPARTMENT HEADS OR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND THE DEPUTIES OR ASSISTANTS TO DEPARTMENT HEADS OF THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS.

Proposes to amend article XVI, section 3.5 of the Hawaii State Constitution regarding the establishment of salary increase limits for justices and judges of all state courts, members of the Legislature, department heads or executive officers of executive departments, and the deputies or assistants to department heads of executive departments.

Brenton AwaRepublican

RELATING TO EXCESSIVE SPEEDING.

Amends the statutory standard for excessive speeding.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Prohibits certain entities from purchasing single-family residences in the State of Hawaii. Requires reports and certifications to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Establishes penalties and enforcement authority.

Brenton AwaRepublican

RELATED TO FIREARMS.

Extends to firearm parts and ammunition certain prohibitions relating to the possession, ownership, or control of firearms and ammunition.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES.

Establishes the preventive maintenance special fund under the Department of Education to be used exclusively for preventive maintenance of public school facilities. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates moneys.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO DOMESTIC ABUSE.

Establishes the Domestic Abuse Offender Registry within the Department of the Attorney General. Appropriates funds.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATIONS.

Requires a condominium association to make available on an internet site the association's general ledgers, project information form (RR-105C), and statement of accounts at no cost to a unit owner or the unit owner's authorized agent. Reduces the reasonable fee a condominium association may charge to provide copies of association documents from $1 per page to 75 cents per page.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Repeals allocation of conveyance tax revenues to the rental housing revolving fund. Temporarily suspends selected state income tax credits retroactively to 1/1/2026.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO THE LAND USE COMMISSION.

Specifies that a simple majority of affirmative votes of the members of the Land Use Commission present at a meeting and qualified to vote is required for any boundary amendment.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.

Requires the Campaign Spending Commission to send notices regarding unfiled, substantially defective, and substantially deficient reports by certified mail. Requires the Commission to specify in substantial defect and deficient report notices the nature of any substantial defect or deficiency. Allows recipients of substantial defect and deficient report notices to correct their reports up to 10 business days after the receipt of the notices. Defines the terms "substantially defective" and "substantially deficient".

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO INDIVIDUAL SPORTS.

Authorizes homeschooled, high school-aged students to participate as unattached competitors in individual sports available to the public high school that the student would otherwise be required to attend.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX EXEMPTIONS.

Establishes a general excise tax exemption for the gross proceeds or income from the sale of groceries that are eligible under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), regardless of the means of purchase or the SNAP eligibility of the purchaser. Establishes a general excise tax exemption for the gross proceeds or income from the sale of nonprescription drugs.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES.

Directs the Department of Human Services to convene a working group to develop a statewide Kamaʻaina credit program to assist asset limited, income constrained, employed households to pay for essential living costs. Requires a report to the Legislature.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE PROTECTION OF MINORS.

Establishes safeguards, protections, oversight, and penalties for interactions between minors and artificial intelligence companion systems or conversational artificial intelligence services.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SIXTEENTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT.

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the 16th senatorial district.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.

Permits the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to conduct a review of the effect of a proposed project on lands under its jurisdiction on historical properties and burial sites, subject to certain requirements. Appropriates funds.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO FORECLOSURES.

Authorizes the public sale of a foreclosed mortgaged property or unit on a state website to be developed and maintained by the Judiciary. Requires the public notice of the public sale of the mortgaged property or unit to include the date, time, and website address of the sale if the sale is to be held on a state website. Appropriates funds.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO HUMAN REMAINS.

Requires any funeral establishment, mortuary, cemetery, crematory, or hydrolysis facility to dispose of the remains of a dead human body no later than sixty days from the date a burial‑transit permit has been issued or from the date of an affidavit for amendment of the permit has been submitted, whichever is later. Specifies that the Department of Health is not required to include specific disposition dates on the permit. Requires the Department to adopt rules.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO ELDER CRIME VICTIMS.

Removes state of mind requirement pertaining to a victim's age for felony assaults aggravated by the victim's age. Raises the threshold age from 60 years of age or older to 65 years of age or older.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO COCONUT TREES.

Establishes recognition of coconut trees as a source of food and water, and as a cultural treasure. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish rules to allow the use of coconut tree seed banks in the State. Requires owners or operators of property where any coconut tree is located to post and maintain a sign that clearly indicates that the coconut tree is a landscape palm. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish labeling standards for non-consumable landscape palms. Establishes an income tax credit for consumable coconut trees maintained through natural management practices.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Prohibits a law enforcement officer and law enforcement agency from making certain requests for assistance from federal law enforcement agencies with exceptions. Establishes requirements and limitations for law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements with federal law enforcement agencies.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Prohibits law enforcement agencies from possessing or acquiring military equipment obtained through the United States Department of Defense Law Enforcement Support Office.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

By January 1, 2027, requires each law enforcement agency operating in the State to maintain a publicly available policy on the visible identification of law enforcement officers. Requires all law enforcement officers in the State to visibly display identification including certain information while performing enforcement duties. Exempts officers performing undercover duties from the visible display of identification requirements.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

By January 1, 2027, requires each law enforcement agency operating in the State to maintain a publicly available policy on the visible identification of law enforcement officers. Adds law enforcement officers to covered public servants who may request any government agency, person, or organization to not make publicly available on the Internet certain covered personal information.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO HOTELS.

Requires hotelkeepers to provide adequate notice of service disruptions to third-party vendors and prospective and current guests under certain conditions. Prohibits hotelkeepers from imposing any fee, penalty, or other charge and from retaining any deposit of a guest who cancels a reservation if a service disruption is likely to exist during the period of the reservation. Requires any hotelkeeper that violates or causes another person to violate this Act to forfeit to the injured party three times the amount of the sum charged in excess of what the hotelkeeper is entitled to.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO LICENSING.

Removes the barrier requiring applicants for professional or vocational licensing to be United States citizens, United States nationals, or persons with work visas. Allows applicants to provide individual tax identification numbers in lieu of social security numbers if all other requirements are met.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO LANDFILL UNITS.

Beginning 7/1/2026, prohibits the construction, modification, or expansion of a landfill unit, or any component of a landfill unit, within the no-pass zone in a county with a population greater than five hundred thousand, with certain exemptions.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO CESSPOOL CONVERSIONS.

Establishes and appropriates funds for a cesspool conversion loan special fund, to be administered by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, to provide low-interest loans to eligible homeowners for the upgrade, conversion, or connection of cesspools.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO INITIATIVE POWER BY THE PEOPLE.

Establishes provisions allowing registered voters to propose statutory and constitutional amendments by initiative and to approve or reject those amendments by ballot, as provided by law. Clarifies requirements and procedures for the initiative petition, the initiative measure, and the ballot containing the initiative measure. Requires the Attorney General to review all initiative petitions for validity and to provide a summary and explanation for each initiative measure in the digital voter information guide. Requires the Chief Election Officer to certify every Attorney General-approved initiative petition for sufficient number of valid signatures. Clarifies conflicts between initiative measures and contrary or similar bills. Requires the Office of Elections to adopt rules. Takes effect upon ratification of a constitutional amendment authorizing the electorate to propose ballot initiatives and to approve or reject them as provided by law.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLES II, III, AND XVII OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO PROVIDE THE ELECTORATE WITH THE POWER OF INITIATIVE.

Proposes a constitutional amendment to provide the state electorate with the power to propose statutory and constitutional amendments by initiative and to approve or reject those amendments by ballot, as provided by law.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.

Establishes restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence, algorithms, or other software tools for purposes of decision-making in health insurance utilization reviews. Requires a licensed health care provider to review all adverse actions by the health carrier.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Clarifies that condominium associations may apply any payment from or on behalf of an owner to amounts due by the owner under a money judgment in favor of the condominium association.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO BAIL.

Allows a court to consider relevant evidence and make a determination to grant, deny, or set conditions of bail. Requires that a defendant is to be presumed entitled to bail unless certain conditions are met. Requires a court to set aside the forfeiture of bail if the defendant voluntarily appears before the court or is surrendered by the surety or bail agent within ninety days after a failure to appear. Requires a court to obtain the consent of the surety or bail agent to reinstate bail. Clarifies qualifications for bail agents, insurers, and sureties. Clarifies the process for the discharge of bail agents, insurers, and sureties. Allows a court discretion to determine whether the forfeiture of bail is appropriate. Requires a motion by the principal to set aside an order of forfeiture to provide the surety or insurer with prompt notice affording opportunity to join the motion. Allows courts discretion to reinstate a bond or recognizance or return the bond or recognizance to the appropriate party after vacating a judgment of forfeiture.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO ORDERS FOR PROTECTION.

Reinstates mandatory minimum jail sentences for successive violations of the same order for protection. Removes the distinction between domestic and non-domestic violations of an order for protection. Eliminates the court's ability to suspend mandatory minimum sentences.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC LAND DISPOSITIONS.

Requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to extend the term of all leases of public lands to the United States Military that expire in 2028, 2029, 2030, or 2031 for a period of five years to allow the Military additional time to complete and submit an environmental impact statement for the leased public lands.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC LAND DISPOSITIONS.

Requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to consult with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs before approving a long-term lease of public lands to another government, governmental agency, utility, or renewable energy developer. Prohibits the Board from extending leases allowing the live-fire training and bombing of public lands, except for a one-time extension of up to five years to phase out existing leases allowing the live‑fire training and bombing of public lands. Excludes lands set aside to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands or lands designated for return to the State from the one-time extension.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SYSTEM.

Requires the Board of Regents to grant a waiver on all tuition for qualifying native Hawaiian and Hawaiian students enrolled within the University of Hawaii System.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL.

Clarifies eligibility and improves accountability for the use of Safe Routes to School funds. Repeals the position of safe routes to school program coordinator. Repeals certain requirements for county programs.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

Beginning 7/1/2027, requires newly installed or modified individual wastewater systems that are near the shoreline or on highly porous soils to include denitrification capacity. Requires the Department of Health to provide appropriate reductions in requirements to leach fields and wastewater systems with denitrification capacity.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat