Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Administratively attaches the State Highway Safety and Modernization Council to the Department of Transportation. Allows council members to appoint their designees. Updates membership of the Council.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Beginning 1/1/2027, establishes a preference in the Hawaii Public Procurement Code that favors bids or offers from businesses that intend to use a higher proportion of allelectric construction vehicles in Department of Transportation construction projects.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

Amends the Hawaii Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Act by adding the definition of common entity and expanding the definition of sale or selling. Allows a licensed dealer or distributor to protest before the board for damages against another dealer or distributor. Establishes a dispute resolution process for manufacturers and distributors to contest the accuracy of a dealer's reimbursement for parts and labor.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Prohibits any business established after January 1, 2026, that uses, rents, or offers for rent mopeds in the course of their commercial business, from using a combustion engine-powered moped. Establishes penalties.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Establishes the offense of theft of a bicycle. Establishes the first offense of theft of a bicycle as a misdemeanor. Establishes the second and each subsequent offense that occurs within five years of a prior conviction for theft of a bicycle as a class C felony.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Authorizes large landowners to petition the Land Use Commission to allow the development of elderly housing on portions of agricultural lands.

III RichardsDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION SAFETY.

Requires the driver's license examination to test the applicant's knowledge of the dangers that larger motor vehicles present to pedestrians and bicyclists. Requires persons who commit the offense of excessively speeding or habitually driving while intoxicated to retake and pass the driver's license examination for each offense.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Establish a medical education liaison position within the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine to support programs that utilize a team of medical specialists to support primary care providers and other health care professionals through mentorship and guidance. Appropriates funds.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE KOHALA DITCH.

Makes the Agribusiness Development Corporation responsible for the maintenance of the Kohala Ditch. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

III RichardsDemocrat

RELATING TO HAWAII STATE HOSPITAL.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Health for the Adult Mental Health Inpatient Program to secure contracts for the provision of forty psychiatric beds annually for the Hawaii State Hospital. Requires the Department of Health to include line-item funding for the Adult Mental Health Inpatient Program in its annual budget request beginning with fiscal year 2027-2028 to secure contracts for the provision of psychiatric beds for the Hawaii State Hospital.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMUNITY DISTRICTS.

Establishes a process by which the Legislature may establish community districts by concurrent resolution. Requires the board members of the community districts to be elected by residents of the community district.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII STATE HOSPITAL.

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to the Department of Health for construction defect remediation at the Hawaii State Hospital. Establishes one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) building manager position at the Hawaii State Hospital. Appropriates funds.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE.

Amends the definition of "child abuse or neglect" by clarifying that the failure to provide certain needs to a child constitutes child abuse or neglect only if the person or entity responsible for the care of the child is financially able to provide and fails to do so or is offered financial or other reasonable means to provide and fails to accept these offers.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO LAULAU DAY.

Designates May 1 of each year as "Laulau Day" in the State.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO VEHICLES.

Requires that any new motor vehicle permitted by law to be equipped with a siren, whether purchased or contracted in the State to be equipped with dual frequency sirens.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO HOMELESS YOUTH.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services to provide emergency shelter and services to unaccompanied homeless youth.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO PARKING DEMAND MANAGEMENT.

Establishes a parking demand management program. Requires the Department of Accounting and General Services to transition all state employee monthly parking options to daily rate parking. Requires the Department to procure parking reservation software. Creates 2 permanent full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions. Appropriates moneys.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE SHRIMP.

Establishes the ‘ōpae ‘ula as the state shrimp to protect anchialine pool ecosystems throughout Hawaii.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE.

Requires owners, lessees, or managers of real property to maintain their property and establish penalties for failure to do so. Allows for exceptions.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO LAND USE.

Temporarily allows each county, by resolution of its county council, to petition for the redistricting of land from an agricultural district to a rural district through the Land Use Commission's declaratory ruling process. Effective 7/1/2026. Sunsets 6/30/2029.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE WAIAKEA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.

Establishes the Waiakea Peninsula Community Development District. Provides for the transfer of land and leases within the Waiakea Peninsula Community Development District from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Hawaii Community Development Authority.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO SEARCH AND RESCUE.

Makes a person or entity liable for all or a portion of search or rescue expenses when the person or entity knowingly enters state, county, or private property, knowingly enters a hiking trail that is closed to the public, or violates applicable laws, provided that the closure is posted by sign, barricade, or other device that gives reasonable notice of the closure. Requires counties to adopt ordinances and the State Fire Council to adopt rules as necessary to pursue reimbursements.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX.

Provides a general excise tax exemption on gross proceeds received from the construction, sale, or installation of electrical vehicle charging infrastructure in certain circumstances. Repeals on 1/1/2031.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.

Authorizes charter school contracts to be renewed for successive ten-year terms of duration.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES.

Appropriates funds to support the efforts of the Division of Aquatic Resources in the removal of the majano anemone from Kaneohe Bay.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATED TO CARE HOMES.

Increases the state supplemental payment ceilings for type I adult residential care homes, licensed developmental disabilities domiciliary homes, community care foster family homes, certified adult foster homes, and type II adult residential care homes.

Henry J.C. AquinoDemocrat

RELATING TO CORRECTIONS.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for purchasing body cameras for adult correctional officers to wear while on duty at state correctional facilities.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Codifies net neutrality principles by prohibiting fixed and mobile internet service providers that provide broadband internet access service from engaging in certain practices concerning the treatment of internet traffic. Among other things, prohibits internet service providers from blocking internet traffic on the basis of internet content, application, or service, engaging in paid prioritization or zero-rating internet traffic in exchange for consideration, monetary or otherwise.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO DOGS.

Allows dogs in restaurants at the restaurant owner's or manager's discretion, provided that certain conditions are met.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Allows service and non-service pet animals on mass transit vehicles under certain conditions.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PET INSURANCE.

Establishes a regulatory framework specifically for pet insurance based on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Pet Insurance Model Act.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC HOUSING.

Requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to allow any resident of a public housing project or state low-income housing project to keep one or more pet animals in the resident's unit, subject to applicable state laws, county ordinances, and any reasonable conditions. Provides that HPHA may charge a refundable deposit for each pet animal but shall not impose a monthly pet fee or pet rent. Allows HPHA to remove a vicious animal to protect persons or property. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO WILDLIFE.

Bans the keeping or breeding of cetaceans in captivity except in certain circumstances.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO SINGLE-USE PLASTICS.

After 1/1/2026, prohibits businesses where food or beverages are packaged and sold on the business' premises for individual consumption from using, selling, or distributing certain disposable or single-use food ware and beverage service items, including items containing PFAS.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE OCEAN RECREATION SPECIAL FUND.

Authorizes the Ocean Stewardship Special Fund to be used for planning, development, designing, or implementation of beach restoration projects, including the awarding of grants to nonprofit organizations for beach and nearshore environmental cleanup.

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 shoreline erosion certain issues related to the parcel.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES.

Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural Resources to adopt by rule, any federal rule or regulation relating to the public lands of the State as it existed on 1/1/2025 that it deems are in the public interest.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII STATE ENERGY OFFICE.

Authorizes the Hawaii State Energy Office to adopt certain federal regulations as they existed on 1/1/2025, that it deems to be in the public interest.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO DECARBONIZATION.

Requires the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaption Commission to study the feasibility of implementing a "buy clean" decarbonization policy and program in Hawaii. Requires administrative and substantive support from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Appropriates moneys.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT.

Authorizes each qualifying individual taxpayer to claim an additional credit if the taxpayer claims any dependent under the age of eighteen.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING.

Requires the Executive Office on Early Learning to establish an Imagination Library of Hawaii Program to provide one free book each month to children from birth through five years of age who reside in the State. Appropriates funds.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO SEX-BASED DISCRIMINATION.

Clarifies and strengthens the State's protections against sex-based harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation that occur in public schools, public charter schools, or at the University of Hawaii, including discrimination based on gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and pregnancy-related conditions. Establishes procedures for investigations and decision-making. Requires mandatory reporting by certain employees.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PROPERTY.

Prohibits certain foreign parties from owning, purchasing, or acquiring an interest in lands located with 10 miles of a military installation or land within the State. Establishes an Office of Intelligence within the Department of Defense to investigate claims that land is unlawfully owned by a prohibited foreign party. Requires the Attorney General to undertake enforcement activities. Appropriates moneys.

Brenton AwaRepublican

RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.

Requires the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions to establish the Interstate Collaboration on Homelessness to discourage sending unsupported homeless individuals to other states and territories. Requires the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions to enter into formal agreements with other states to reimburse costs associated with relocated homeless individuals. Appropriates funds.

Brenton AwaRepublican

RELATING TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS.

Clarifies the Lieutenant Governor's duties as Secretary of State for Intergovernmental Relations, including working to prevent other jurisdictions from making or supporting travel arrangements to Hawaii for homeless or unhoused individuals.

Samantha DeCorteRepublican

RELATING TO COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.

Requires the Department of Health to establish and administer a three-year Rural Community Health Worker Pilot Program that enables community health workers to provide outreach, education, training, and navigation to individuals residing in rural communities in the State and address social determinants of health. Appropriates funds.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires the Department of Education to implement dyslexiasensitive universal screenings and evidence-based interventions, offer professional development on structured literacy and evidenced-based interventions, and support pre-teacher programs in training candidates in structured literary instruction.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Education for teacherrequested classroom supplies.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat