Bills & Legislation

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 DANGEROUS DRUGS.

Conforms fentanyl to the possession offense thresholds for methamphetamine, heroin, morphine, and cocaine.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

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 NOTARIES PUBLIC.

Requires the Bureau of Conveyances to notify an affected party when any recorded instrument was purportedly fraudulently notarized, when attested to by the purported notary public. Requires the Bureau of Conveyances to allow an affected party to void the recorded instrument that was purportedly fraudulently notarized. Requires the Bureau of Conveyances to allow title holders to suspend additional recordings on their title, unless given prior authorization by the title holder, subject to certain limitations. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

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 ETHICS.

Requires a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, member of the Legislature, department heads and their deputies, and any spouse or dependent child of a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, member of the Legislature, or department head and their deputies to place certain financial interests in a blind trust. Prohibits a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, member of the Legislature, department head and their deputies, and any spouse or dependent child of a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, member of the Legislature, or department head and their deputies from acquiring certain financial interests during their term of service. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

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 INSURANCE.

Requires authorized property insurers to disclose certain information regarding payment of claims for the previous year. Establishes penalties. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

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 SEXUAL OFFENSES AGAINST MINORS.

Increases the penalty for promoting minor-produced sexual images to a felony if the person is more than 3 years older than the minor. Extends the probationary term for felony obscenity offenses. Tolls the statute of limitations for obscenity offenses during a victim's minority. Requires sex offender registration for felony obscenity offenses involving minors. (SD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

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 that have obtained title to a unit through foreclosure may retain rental income received prior to the appointment of a commissioner in a subsequent foreclosure, but the association may be required by a court to remit rental income received after the appointment of a commissioner to be held until an order of distribution is entered by the court. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

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 INVASIVE SPECIES.

Clarifies that the importation of any item or material infested or infected with an insect or other animal, disease, or pest is prohibited. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to adopt rules to designate certain restricted articles to require a compliance agreement prior to importation. Clarifies that the State is not responsible for any economic loss or damages related to any actions by the Department under chapter 150A, Hawaii Revised Statutes. Authorizes the Department to administratively inspect any article imported or moved into the State from the continental United States or between the islands of the State. Authorizes the Department to compel the quarantine of certain non-agricultural items or materials. Allows for certain interim rules adopted by the Department to be effective for up to two years. Clarifies penalties for various quarantine and import law violations. Appropriates funds to establish one full-time equivalent position within the Department to assist the Plant Industry Division Administrator in drafting, reviewing, and updating certain administrative rules. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

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 SOCIAL MEDIA.

Requires a digital application store provider to verify the age of users, require parental consent for users under sixteen years of age to download or purchase, or make a purchase on, a social media platform, and distribute that information to social media platforms. Requires social media platforms to obtain the age information from digital application store providers, determine whether parental consent has been provided for young persons, and take reasonable steps to identify young person users through their algorithms. Effective 1/1/2077. (HD2)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO DIGITAL ASSET CHARTERS.

Establishes within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Division of Financial Institutions, beginning 1/1/2027, a digital asset charter program for licensing, regulating, and overseeing digital asset companies and digital asset business activities. Authorizes companies that participated in the Hawaii Digital Currency Innovation Lab to temporarily continue digital asset business activities without a charter in certain circumstances. Appropriates moneys from the compliance resolution fund. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

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 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. Requires reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Jr. IharaDemocrat

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

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

Defines compounded prescription drugs for the purposes of the State's Workers' Compensation Law. Limits dispensing of prescription drugs by physician to 30 days after the industrial injury and requires all prescription drugs to be obtained through the employer's pharmacy benefit manager thereafter. Requires prescription drugs not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), such as compounds, to be identified as compounds when listed on the treatment plan and when billed, and be supported by a statement of medical necessity documenting the case of medical need for a compound drug over an FDA-approved over-the-counter or prescription drug of similar therapeutic effect. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Jr. IharaDemocrat

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 SENTENCING.

Amends repeat offender sentencing provisions to allow sentencing courts, under certain circumstances, to sentence defendants in class C felony cases to probation with appropriate terms and conditions. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

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 THE GENERAL EXCISE TAX.

Exempts agricultural inputs from the general excise tax. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

III RichardsDemocrat