Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO MEDICAID.

Appropriates funds to increase the funding of certain Medicaid home and community-based services, including adult day programs and residential services offered in community care foster family homes and expanded adult residential care homes.

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Mandates state agencies to prioritize purchasing from local vendors whenever feasible. Allows state agencies to split contracts across multiple local vendors to enhance participation and competitiveness. Specifies when contracts may be awarded to multiple vendors.

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

Allows striking workers to be eligible for unemployment benefits.

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC BANKING.

Establishes a state-owned bank implementation board within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to determine the need for, potential costs and benefits of, and prerequisites to establishing a state-owned bank. Requires a report to the legislature.

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

Amend the State's regulation of sun screening devices on motor vehicles by lowering the allowable amount of light transmittance for vehicle windows from 35%, plus or minus 6%, to 25%, plus or minus 5%.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Beginning 1/1/2026, requires kratom products to be registered with the Department of Health and imposes labeling requirements.

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat

RELATED TO DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.

Requires defendants convicted of causing the death of a parent or legal guardian of a minor child by the operation of a vehicle in a negligent manner while under the influence of drugs or alcohol to make restitution in the form of financial support to each surviving child of the victim.

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Prohibits health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations from arbitrarily denying coverage requests for gender affirming health care services when the requested service is known to be considered a standard of care and for which scientific evidence exists that supports the service. Increases transparency of insurance carrier medical necessity reviews and requirements when coverage is denied.

Jenna TakenouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO TRESPASSING.

Establishes a limited alternative process to remove unauthorized persons from residential real property.

Jenna TakenouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO FOOD SECURITY.

Establishes the Hawaii Food Security Special Fund to restore Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit levels to those provided in federal fiscal year 2023. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Cory M. ChunDemocrat

RELATING TO PAID FAMILY LEAVE.

By 1/1/2027, requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish a family and medical leave insurance program and begin collecting payroll contributions to finance payment of benefits. By 1/1/2028, requires the Department to start receiving claims and paying benefits under the program. Specifies eligibility requirements and employee protections under the program.

Jeanne KapelaDemocrat

RELATING TO A CHILD TAX CREDIT.

Establishes a refundable child tax credit. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025.

Jeanne KapelaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

Requires the Department of Human Services to adjust the minimum certification periods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits households, participate in the Elderly Simplified Application Project, and report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services to improve Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program rates, including establishing additional positions.

Jeanne KapelaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION.

Appropriates funds to the campaign spending commission for permanent positions.

Jeanne KapelaDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Creates an alternative water source income tax credit for taxpayers who install, place in service, or repair a water catchment system or who purchase water delivery services.

Jeanne KapelaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD-TENANT CODE.

Restricts how much and how often a landlord may increase rent over the course of a twelve month period.

Tina Nakada GrandinettiDemocrat

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.

Jeanne KapelaDemocrat

RELATING TO EMERGENCIES.

Short form bill relating to emergencies.

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

For the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, requires the Department of Human Services to: (1) prorate or exclude certain income from household members who are ineligible for the Program; (2) establish a standardized medical expense deduction option for elderly or disabled household members; (3) establish a pre-release Program application form for individuals who are incarcerated and scheduled for release; and (4) report to the Legislature. Specifies that, for purposes of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the federal restriction of providing Program benefits to certain individuals does not apply in Hawaii.

Jeanne KapelaDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

Short form bill relating to public safety.

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO HOMELESS YOUTH.

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

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Beginning 1/1/2026, requires health insurers and mutual benefit societies to provide coverage for traditional native Hawaiian healing and cultural practices offered through a Federally Qualified Health Center or a Native Hawaiian Health Care System.

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO THE RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD-TENANT CODE.

Prohibits a landlord or the landlord's agent from charging an application fee for a criminal background check or credit report if an applicant provides a certified copy of a criminal background check or credit report. Prohibits a landlord or the landlord's agent from charging an application fee if a comprehensive reusable tenant screening report is available. Requires a landlord or the landlord's agent to provide, upon request, a certified copy of an applicant's criminal background check or credit report.

Trish La ChicaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD-TENANT CODE.

Allows tenants who prevail in a lawsuit for a violation of the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code to be awarded damages, reasonable attorney's fees, and costs of the suit.

Trish La ChicaDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Prohibits a condominium association or its board of directors from enforcing de minimis violation of association bylaws, rules, or regulations. Defines "de minimis violations". Requires condominium associations to provide persons accused of violations the right to appeal to the board of directors. Requires a condominium to disclose this right of appeal to alleged violators.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Prohibits fireworks. Imposes penalties.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO DANGEROUS DOGS.

Increase penalties for bodily injuries to humans caused by unprovoked dangerous bog bites resulting from dog owner negligence.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITIES.

Provides for the administrative dissolution of any planned community association or condominium association in existence as of 7/1/2027. Provides the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs the powers currently provided to planned community associations and condominium associations under chapters 421J and 514B, HRS, and each planned community's or condominium's bylaws and other governing documents. Requires the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to submit a report and proposed legislation to the Legislature with recommendations to administer planned communities and condominiums.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITIES.

Prohibits condominium associations and planned community associations from requiring a unit owner to pay a filing fee, application fee, or other similar fee, when applying to improve, alter, repair, or renovate a portion of the unit owner's unit or other real property, including an exterior portion of the unit.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires the Board of Education to adopt a policy that bans the use of phones and related devices by students during school hours.

Justin H. WoodsonDemocrat

RELATING TO HAZARD PAY BONUS.

Appropriates funds for a one-time hazard pay bonus to state officers and employees in bargaining units 5, 6, and 7, and their excluded counterparts under certain conditions.

Justin H. WoodsonDemocrat

RELATING TO ASSISTED REPRODUCTION.

Establishes a streamlined procedure for determining parentage in cases of assisted reproduction.

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.

Expands the protections established under Act 2, SLH 2023, to include gender-affirming health care services. Clarifies jurisdiction under the Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act for cases involving children who obtain gender-affirming health care services.

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO HATE CRIMES.

Defines "reported hate crime". Requires reporting of all possible reported hate crimes to appropriate authorities, including consistent documentation and analysis of such incidents. Requires law enforcement officers to receive annual training to identify, investigate, and document hate crimes and possible hate crimes. Requires the Attorney General to establish or update guidelines, protocols, and training materials for the reporting and investigation of hate crimes and possible hate crimes.

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Prohibits physicians and surgeons from performing certain procedures on individuals born with variations in their physical sex characteristics who are under one year of age, unless the procedure is a surgery required to address an immediate risk of physical harm.

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO SEX TRAFFICKING.

Requires the posting of informational placards on sex trafficking and resources available to victims, in public buildings and at other specified locations. Requires the Department of Human Services to develop and make available a model placard. Requires the Department of Education to train teachers, school administrators, and other school personnel on the dynamics of sex trafficking and strategies for prevention and response. Requires and appropriates moneys for the Department of the Attorney General to develop and implement public education and outreach events on the dynamics of sex trafficking and the importance of community involvement in prevention and response efforts.

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Establishes the shipping container inspection program and shipping container inspection program special fund. Amends the definitions of "aerial devices" and "fireworks" within state fireworks law. Requires reports to the Legislature on implementation of the shipping container inspection program. Appropriates moneys.

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

Allows the Hawaii Community Development Authority to approve residential development on certain parcels of land in the Kakaako Makai area. Raises the building height limit on certain parcels in the area. Requires a certain percentage of the residential units developed on certain parcels to be allocated to households at or below a certain income level, with priority given to certain essential workforce in the area. Limits the sale of residential units developed in certain residential developments to prospective owner-occupants. Requires the Hawaii Community Development Authority to determine a Kakaako Makai Association Fee to be collected from all residential developments on certain parcels to be deposited into a special account in the Hawaii Community Development Revolving Fund to fund various services and projects in the Kakaako Makai area.

Daniel HoltDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Establishes the Class A felony-level offense of serious bodily injury or death resulting from fireworks.

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO THE MEDICAL USE OF CANNABIS.

Establishes a licensing system for medical cannabis cultivation. Facilitates the transport of medical cannabis. Expands the scope of authorized actions for medical cannabis patients. Provides that qualifying out-of-state patients need not register with the Department of Health. Protects medical cannabis patients and cultivation licenses from undue discrimination.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Increases the number of voter service centers in the State. Requiring all voter services centers to operate during the same days and hours statewide. Clarifies that during each day of operation, during all hours of operation, each voter service center is to provide in-person voter registration, receive absentee and election-by-mail ballots, allow voters to vote in person, and provide voting machine services for persons with disabilities. Appropriates moneys to the counties for the administrative costs of voter service centers.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO THE MEDICAL USE OF CANNABIS.

Repeals registration requirements relating to qualifying outofstate medical cannabis patients who are validly registered in other states, United States territories, or the District of Columbia. Repeals language requiring an initial inperson consultation before physicians and advanced practice registered nurses may make medical cannabis treatment recommendations via telehealth. Prohibits the Department of Health from imposing fees for patients' medical cannabis registration certificates.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO SCHOOL SAFETY.

Requires the Department of Education to assign school resource officers to department public schools and charter schools. Encourages the employment of qualified retirees from the local police departments and department of law enforcement. Appropriates funds for these positions.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Prohibits the imposition of cost-sharing requirements for certain diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations.

Lauren MatsumotoRepublican

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE I OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO RECOGNIZE AND PROTECT THE INHERENT AND INALIENABLE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO CLEAN WATER AND AIR, A HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE, HEALTHY NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS, AND BEACHES.

Proposes a constitutional amendment to ensure that the inherent and inalienable right of the people, including present and future generations, to clean water and air, a healthful environment and climate, healthy native ecosystems, and beaches shall be protected and shall not be infringed.

Mahina PoepoeDemocrat

RELATING TO MANAGING AGENTS.

Requires managing agents for residential condominium properties over seventy-five feet in height to have commercial property management experience.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE THIRTY-FIRST REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT.

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the thirty-first representative district.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat