Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS.

Increases the maximum term for leases of public lands to ninety-nine years. Prohibits commercial leases and government use agreements of public lands at rates below market rate, with exceptions.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION.

Extends the deadline to register to vote by mail from 30 to 10 days prior to a primary or general election. Repeals obsolete language regarding permanent absentee ballots.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Exempts any agricultural enterprise practicing diversified agriculture on lands formerly used for commercial sugarcane production within the conservation district from any permitting and site plan approval requirements established for lands in a conservation district.

III RichardsDemocrat

RELATING TO NON-AGRICULTURAL PARK LEASES.

Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to extend the term by thirty years of any lease covering a non-agricultural park no greater than twenty-five acres and with fewer than fifteen years remaining in the term.

III RichardsDemocrat

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.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO BUILDING PERMITS.

Exempts certain agricultural buildings, structures, and appurtenances from building codes and permitting requirements.

III RichardsDemocrat

RELATING TO DUE PROCESS.

Requires state agencies to provide an affected person with written notice containing certain information before taking final administrative actions that materially and adversely affect the person's protected liberty or property interest. Prohibits a state agency from implementing a final adverse action until the completion of any timely requested contested case proceeding unless the state agency makes certain written findings. Requires state agencies to take certain steps to ensure impartial decision-making. Requires each state agency to submit an annual report to the Legislature and make the report available on the agency's website. Requires a claim against the State for a violation of a procedural due process requirement to be satisfied from the operating budget of the state agency whose action or omission gave rise to the violation and not from the general fund. Clarifies that reporting of due process rights violations is protected under the State's Whistleblowers' Protection Act.

III RichardsDemocrat

RELATING TO DOG ATTACKS.

Clarifies owner liability and increases penalties and enforcement mechanisms for dog attacks on livestock.

III RichardsDemocrat

RELATING TO MIDWIVES.

Establishes a licensing scheme for licensed certified midwives and licensed certified professional midwives, to be overseen by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Reestablishes the home birth task force to provide recommendations on issues related to home births. Dissolves the task force on 6/30/2026. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO FARM EMPLOYEE HOUSING.

Authorizes farm cluster housing on certain agricultural land within agricultural districts. Requires the counties adopt ordinances to allow farm cluster housing.

III RichardsDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Requires the submission and retention of environmental product declarations for state construction projects.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO LICENSURE.

Authorizes the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to issue a temporary license to engage in the practice of dealing and fitting of hearing aids to high school students enrolled in a structured training program.

III RichardsDemocrat

RELATING TO DEFERRED RETIREMENT FOR POLICE.

Establishes a deferred retirement option program for police officers.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO ELECTION WATCHERS.

Specifies that each qualified political party may have one election watcher. Allows the news media to act as election watchers. Allows the clerk to permit additional election watchers. Specifies conditions for election watchers while serving. Effective 8/9/2026.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREARMS.

After 7/1/2026, prohibits firearms with the capacity to fire ammunition of fifty caliber or higher with exceptions.

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 POLICING.

Requires law enforcement agencies and police oversight agencies to collect and report certain data regarding law enforcement stops, uses of force, and complaints to the Hawaii Crime Lab affiliated with the University of Hawaii. Requires the Hawaii Crime Lab to collect and publish incident-level information and an annual report on the data collected. Requires the Department of the Attorney General to adopt rules, in coordination with the Hawaii Crime Lab.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

Establishes a two-year Youth Ride Free Pilot Program within the Department of Transportation. Specifies that certain Program administrative costs incurred by the counties are eligible for reimbursement from the State. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 6/30/2028.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO PARKING.

Requires employers of twenty or more persons to offer a parking cash-out program in place of a parking subsidy and report to the Department of Transportation. Requires the Department of Transportation to report to the Legislature, adopt rules, and impose fines or penalties on violators.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO VOTER SERVICE CENTERS.

Requires clerks at a voter service center to maintain separate lines for voters with accessibility needs, voters who are newly registering or conducting a change of name or residence, and all other voters unless a line is unoccupied.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO COOPERATIVES.

Establishes a Cooperative Development Program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to award grants to support the establishment of new cooperatives in the State. Requires the Department to adopt rules. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 6/30/2031.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO WATER.

Defines the public trust responsibilities of the Commission on Water Resource Management. Allows the Commission to retain independent legal counsel. Amends the scope of the Commission to include declaration of emergencies. Repeals the position of Deputy to the Chairperson of the Commission on Water Resource Management and establishes the position of Executive Director. Amends the composition of the Commission. Authorizes entities to challenge an emergency order of the Commission under certain conditions. Establishes fines for certain water use offenses.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO FORENSIC IDENTIFICATION.

By July 1, 2027, requires the Honolulu Police Department to establish and maintain a statewide automated DNA match tracking system. Requires the Department to submit an annual report to the Legislature and post the report to the Department's website. Requires each law enforcement agency and prosecuting attorney's office that submits DNA to a crime laboratory in the State to participate in the automated DNA match tracking system. Establishes mandatory deadlines for entities participating in the automated DNA match tracking system after confirmation of a DNA database match. Establishes privacy and data protection guidelines for the statewide automated DNA match tracking system. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO CELLULAR TOWERS.

Requires the Department of Health to provide public guidance on radiofrequency energy exposure and conduct statewide monitoring. Prohibits the trimming, removal, or alteration of trees or vegetation by counties around cellular towers or antennas solely to improve wireless signal reception or network performance, except as necessary for safety or protection of the equipment. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish an Intervenor Compensation Program to reimburse qualified intervenors participating in commission proceedings for reasonable costs incurred for making substantial contributions. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Authorizes the issuance of GO bonds and appropriates funds for capital improvements for the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience's Agricultural Research and Extension Station on Kauai.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO STATEWIDE COMPOSTING.

Requires the Department of Health to adopt or amend rules to establish a classification system for composting facilities or operations. Allows composting and co-composting in the agricultural district, including on lands with class A or class B soils. Appropriates moneys.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO HUMAN AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience for the development of its human and community resilience institute.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO BIOSECURITY.

Requires the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience to establish a Center for Biosecurity Research, Education, and Extension to develop and implement innovative solutions for detecting, monitoring, eradicating, and managing invasive species. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC TRANSIT.

Establishes within the Department of Transportation a fare-free youth transit program, to be coordinated with the counties. Establishes a fare-free youth transit program special fund. Requires biannual evaluations of the new program and special fund. Allocates moneys from the environmental response, energy, and food security tax to the fare-free youth transit program special fund. Appropriates moneys into and out of the fare-free youth transit program special fund. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE SUNSHINE LAW.

Authorizes any member of a board to attend an informational meeting or presentation on matters relating to board business; provided that the meeting or presentation is not specifically and exclusively organized for or directed toward members of the board. Repeals the requirement of a subsequent report of attendance and the matters presented and discussed that related to board business at the informational meeting or presentation.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Beginning with the 2030 model year, requires new passenger vehicles to be equipped with passive intelligent speed assistance systems. Beginning 7/1/2030: makes circumventing or tampering with an active intelligence speed assistance system a misdemeanor; requires the Department of Transportation to select a vendor for the installation and maintenance of active intelligent speed assistance systems; and allows the Judiciary to impose the installation of active intelligent speed assistance systems as an additional penalty and as part of a license suspension or revocation for repeat offenders of certain traffic violations.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO PRIMARY CARE.

Requires all health carriers to allocate, initially, not less than 6% of the carrier's total medical expenditures to primary care providers, with the percentage increasingly incrementally to 12%. Requires health carriers to pay primary care providers directly, rather than through administrative mechanisms. Places restrictions on downcoding and claim modifications. Requires health carriers to ensure access to primary care in rural areas, including access to Primary Care Access Visits and Community Access Primary Care Sites. Requires Insurance Commissioner to administer requirements established in bill. Requires the Department of Human Services Med-QUEST Division to apply the Act, to the extent permitted by federal law and subject to any federal approvals, to Medicaid managed care organizations. Requires reports. Requires the Auditor to evaluate the impact of the Act on various metrics 3 years after the measure's effective date. Establishes the primary care stabilization special fund.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES.

Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to enter into community co-management agreements and establishes qualifications for eligible community co-managers. Authorizes the disposition of public lands by a community co-management agreement.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Establishes safe riding behaviors for electric bicycles. Prohibits the operation of high-speed electric devices in certain locations. Beginning 12/31/2026, establishes labeling and signage requirements for electric bicycles. Prohibits the operation of a moped or electric motorcycle in certain locations. Amends the definition of "bicycle" for purposes of county vehicular taxes. Defines "electric bicycle" in place of "low-speed electric bicycle". Defines "electric micro-mobility device" and requires the same regulations as electric foot scooters. Prohibits a person under the age of sixteen from operating a class 3 electric bicycle. Authorizes a person under the age of fourteen to operate class 2 electric bicycles under supervision. Prohibits a person from riding a class 3 electric bicycle on a sidewalk. Authorizes a person to ride a class 1 or class 2 electric bicycle on a sidewalk under certain circumstances. Prohibits a person from operating a bicycle or electric foot scooter under the age of eighteen without a helmet. Repeals the requirement that moped drivers use bicycle lanes. Substitutes the term "motor-driven cycle" with the term "motor scooter".

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HOUSEHOLD AND DEPENDENT CARE SERVICES TAX CREDIT.

Increases a taxpayer's applicable percentage of employment-related expenses that is used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit. Extends the sunset date of the temporary increase in maximum employment-related expenses that are used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit, established by Act 163, SLH 2023, to 6/30/2030. Sunsets 6/30/2030.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Authorizes the University of Hawaii to engage in enterprise-related activities for educational purposes.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO SERVICE CHARGES.

Prohibits restaurants from imposing a mandatory gratuity service charge for food or beverage services unless the party includes ten or more customers, the service charge does not exceed eighteen per cent, and the customer is notified of the service charge.

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE BUDGET.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE BUDGET.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO DEVELOPMENT.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO CLIMATE.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat