Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Prohibits any person from advertising, displaying, or offering a price for the rental or letting of a transient accommodation or resort time share vacation unit that does not include all taxes and fees imposed by a government entity that the renter or guest must pay. Requires a person to clearly and conspicuously display a rate or price that includes all taxes and fees imposed by a government entity that the renter or guest must pay in each advertisement for the rental or letting of a transient accommodation or resort time share vacation unit. Requires any taxes and fees that are displayed as a percentage of the cost on a booking transaction to also be displayed as a dollar amount at the time of purchase.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Prohibits any person from charging any fees on a transient accommodation or resort time share vacation interest, plan, or unit that were not disclosed before the time of purchase. Requires a person to clearly and conspicuously display a rate or price that includes all fees to be charged at the time of purchase in each advertisement for a transient accommodation or resort time share vacation interest, plan, or unit. Requires any taxes and fees that are displayed as a percentage of the cost on a booking transaction also be displayed as a dollar amount at the time of purchase.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

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 HAZARD PAY.

Allows the Director of Human Resources Development and the Director's county counterparts, with the approval of the Civil Service Commission in the case of the county, to grant temporary hazard pay to public employees.

AQUINO

RELATING TO REIMBURSEMENT OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES.

Requires the State or a county to reimburse an officer or employee within thirty calendar days of a request for reimbursement for travel costs that the officer or employee loaned to the State or a county. Requires the State or a county to pay a percentage of interest on the total amount owed to an officer or employee until the loan is fully reimbursed.

AQUINO

RELATING TO TOURISM.

Appropriates funds to sponsor a Michelin Guide for restaurants statewide.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Requires the Department of Health to conduct a study on addictive online activities engaged in by residents of the State and submit a report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026. Appropriates funds.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE CONTRACTOR REPAIR ACT.

Expands the required contents of a notice of claim of construction defect served on a contractor. Requires the claimant to provide actual evidence of the nature and cause of the construction defect and extent of necessary repairs along with the notice of claim to the extent the claimant has evidence. Amends the process and time frame for a claimant to accept a contractor's proposal to inspect and authorize the contractor to proceed with repairs. Limits the amount a claimant can recover if the claimant unreasonably rejects a contractor's proposal to inspect or an offer to remedy.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO PROPERTY FORFEITURE.

Restricts civil asset forfeiture to cases involving the commission of a felony offense where the property owner has been convicted of an underlying felony offense. Directs forfeiture proceeds to the general fund. Amends the allowable expenses for moneys in the criminal forfeiture fund. Requires the Attorney General to adopt rules necessary to carry out the purpose of the Hawaii Omnibus Criminal Forfeiture Act. Amends the deadline for the Attorney General to report to the Legislature on the use of the Hawaii Omnibus Criminal Forfeiture Act. Limits the transfer of certain forfeiture property to federal agencies. Establishes records requirements.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO BUILDING INSPECTIONS.

Requires periodic inspections of certain walls and appurtenances of buildings five or more stories in height. Establishes procedures for inspections, preparing inspection reports, and responding to report findings.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE LANDLORD-TENANT CODE.

Prohibits a landlord from recovering possession of a dwelling unit from a tenant if the habitability of the premises is significantly impaired. Caps a tenant's liability for rent if the habitability of the premises is significantly impaired. Provides remedies for retaliatory evictions.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO MEDICAL RECORDS.

Establishes fees that medical providers may charge for requests for a patient's medical records from the patient's family member, caregiver, or representative. Requires medical providers to respond to requests in a timely manner. Establishes penalties.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

Amends the sunset date of Act 83, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, to repeal section 46-19.8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, on June 29, 2025.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Repeals the sunset provision in Act 45, SLH 2024, related to the counties' authorization to develop, construct, finance, refinance, or otherwise provide mixed-use developments.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO DEFERRED RETIREMENT FOR POLICE.

Establishes a deferred retirement option program for police officers.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

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 CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.

Prohibits state and county elected officials from soliciting and accepting campaign contributions during any regular session or special session of the state legislature, including any extension of any regular session or special session or any legislative recess day, holiday, or weekend.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.

Prohibits state or county grantees, officers and immediate family members of state or county contractors, and officers and immediate family members of state or county grantees from contributing to candidate or noncandidate committees for the duration of the contract. Requires candidates, candidate committees, or noncandidate committees to return any unlawful contribution to the contributor within 30 calendar days of receipt. Provides that if any unlawful contribution is not returned to the contributor within 30 calendar days, the unlawful contribution shall escheat to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO GOATS.

Prohibits the Department of Land and Natural Resources from establishing or implementing bag limits for goats in public hunting areas.

Herbert M. "Tim" Richards IIIDemocrat

RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY.

Short form bill relating to technology.

Greggor IlaganDemocrat

RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Short form bill relating to economic development.

Greggor IlaganDemocrat

RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Short form bill relating to economic development.

Greggor IlaganDemocrat

RELATING TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.

Short form bill relating to intergovernmental relations.

Greggor IlaganDemocrat

RELATING TO TAX HAVEN ABUSE.

Requires corporations to include the income of all foreign subsidiaries to the State. Applies the State's apportionment formula to determine the share of reported profits subject to the appropriate tax. Effective 1/1/2026.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT.

Permanently increases the state earned income tax credit to fifty per cent of the federal earned income tax credit. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX EXEMPTIONS.

Exempts the tax collected on the sale of groceries that are eligible under the supplemental nutrition assistance program or special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, regardless of the means of purchase and the program eligibility of the purchaser.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO AQUATIC LIFE.

Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to amend the definition of "aquarium purposes", in Hawaii Administrative Rules, to allow a bona fide aquaculture entity or scientific research entity to collect aquatic life without a permit so long as the aquatic life remains in the county in which it was collected while it is alive.

Herbert M. "Tim" Richards IIIDemocrat

RELATING TO THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF ANIMALS.

Establishes a spay and neuter special fund. Establishes a spay and neuter special fund advisory committee to develop eligibility criteria for and manage the disbursement of the special fund. Authorizes, and requires the Director of Taxation to amend the individual state income tax form to facilitate, the designation of tax refund moneys to be paid to the spay and neuter special fund. Appropriates moneys into and out of the special fund.

Herbert M. "Tim" Richards IIIDemocrat

RELATING TO INFRASTRUCTURE.

Establishes a working group within the Department of Transportation to conduct a comprehensive study to assess the State's port and harbor system and the potential viability of each location in that system to support current and future agricultural product transportation methods and needs. Requires a report. Appropriates moneys.

Herbert M. "Tim" Richards IIIDemocrat

RELATING TO MARRIAGE OF MINORS.

Raises the minimum age requirement to enter into marriage from sixteen to eighteen years of age. Removes the parental consent and written approval by the family court requirements for a minor to marry. Removes spousal cohabitation after the parties attain legal age as an exception for an annulment based on nonage. Makes conforming amendments.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

Requires claims of post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by first responders to be compensable under workers' compensation under certain conditions if the post-traumatic stress disorder resulted from the first responder acting within the course and scope of the first responder's employment. Defines "first responder." Exempts injuries caused by post-traumatic stress disorder from certain time limitations applicable to workers' compensation claims.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY.

Clarifies the definition of "power-generating facility" for the purposes of environmental impact assessments to include facilities that rely on the combustion of any fuel source, including facilities operating beginning 1/1/2025, and facilities that convert from one source of energy to another source, where the new source requires combustion and the electrical output rating of the converted facility exceeds 5.0 megawatts.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO COMPOSTABLE PLASTIC PACKAGING.

Beginning 1/1/2026, requires persons that provide single-use compostable plastic packaging or utensils for any food or beverages sold in the State to have on-site composting collection bins and ensure the collection and delivery of disposed single-use compostable plastic packaging or utensils to certain commercial composting facilities under certain circumstances. Requires the Department of Health to report to the Legislature before the Regular Sessions of 2026 through 2035.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.

Requires the Department of Education to establish a recognition program to incentivize schools to submit to the Department a plan for the school to reach the local farm to school meal goal of thirty per cent of food served in the school to consist of locally sourced products by 2030. Requires all department high schools to provide a plant-based meal option for school meals, under certain conditions.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.

Prohibits the usage of synthetic substances in school meals at Department of Education and public charter schools. Defines "synthetic substances".

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO WATER.

Part I: Establishes a WAI Policy Coordinator and other positions within the Commission on Water Resource Management for coordination of Red Hill WAI initiatives. Creates the Red Hill Remediation Special Fund. Requires reports to the Legislature, Governor, and Mayor and City Council of the City and County of Honolulu. Appropriates funds. Part II: Allows the Commission of Water Resource Management to retain independent legal counsel. Repeals the position of Deputy to the Chairperson of the Commission and establishes the position of Executive Director of the Commission. Amends the composition of the Commission and administratively attaches it to DLNR. Authorizes entities to challenge an emergency order of the Commission under certain conditions. Establishes fines for certain water use offenses. Amends the Commission's authority to declare water emergencies and issue orders to address them and declare water shortages and related notice requirements. Specifies that the nominating committee of the Commission shall include one person appointed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO CESSPOOLS.

Requires certain priority level 1 cesspools to be upgraded, converted, or connected before 1/1/2035. Requires priority level 2 and other cesspools to be upgraded, converted, or connected before 1/1/2040, rather than before 1/1/2050, with certain exemptions. Authorizes the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

Creates a presumption for workers' compensation purposes that diseases of the heart in firefighters and law enforcement officers were proximately caused by and resulted from the nature of the person's employment if certain conditions are met. Exempts injuries caused by disease of the heart from certain time limitations applicable to workers' compensation claims. Establishes a process for regular physical examinations of firefighters and law enforcement officers to reduce heart disease risks.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO WATER QUALITY.

Clarifies the level of environmental restoration owners and operators of underground storage tanks or tank systems that had a confirmed release must satisfy by requiring the removal of all jet fuel, including fuel additives and all compounds resulting from the degradation of jet fuel or jet fuel additives or the reaction of jet fuel or jet fuel additives with water or other chemicals. Establishes a rebuttable presumption that the detection of these contaminants in the vicinity of an underground storage tank or a tank system after a confirmed release is a result of the confirmed release.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO PLANT-BASED FOOD AND DRINKS.

Requires state agencies to establish a Plant-Based-By-Default Program for food and drinks offered at state-operated prisons, state-licensed hospitals, and government-sponsored events. Requires the Director of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Comptroller, and Director of Health to submit annual reports to the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission. Effective 7/1/2026.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO SOLID WASTE.

Requires municipal solid waste combustor ash to be disposed of only in a lined landfill. Prohibits the reuse of municipal solid waste incinerator ash for uses such as roadbuilding, fill, or construction.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO ORGANIC WASTE.

Establishes statewide goals for solid waste reduction and organic waste diversion. Requires each county to incorporate into its next integrated solid waste management plan revision a plan to reduce all organic waste produced within the county by facilities generating more than a specified amount of organic waste per year in alignment with established state benchmarks. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS LABORATORY.

Requires the Department of Health to construct, establish, and operate an environmental toxins testing laboratory to test samples submitted by the public for diseases; water, air, and soil quality; and complex testing. Requires a report to the Legislature. Authorizes the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO FEDERAL LAND.

Establishes an Advisory Committee convened by the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Department of Health to inventory lands owned by the United States government which may be reasonably transferred back to the State and to make recommendations on relevant land conditions and appropriateness of potential transfer. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO MARRIAGE OF MINORS.

Raises the minimum age to enter into marriage from sixteen to eighteen years of age. Repeals the authority of parents and the family court to consent to a minor's marriage. Repeals spousal cohabitation after the parties attain legal age as an exception for an annulment based on nonage. Makes conforming amendments.

Michelle N. KidaniDemocrat

RELATING TO LAND.

Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to exercise its power of eminent domain to acquire certain parcels. Appropriates funds for the acquisition of those parcels.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Establishes a Microbial Algae Soil Products Pilot Program within the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and other relevant stakeholders. Establishes the Microbial Algae Soil Products Pilot Program Special Fund. Authorizes the Department of Agriculture to adopt administrative rules. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Herbert M. "Tim" Richards IIIDemocrat