Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO HEMP.

Requires the Department of Health to construct, operate, and maintain a hemp manufacturing facility. Requires permitted hemp processors to provide certain updated information to the Department of Health no later than 60 days after a relevant event. Explicitly prohibits any person from selling to consumers any hemp biomass, regardless of whether the biomass consists of hemp leaves or hemp floral material, or both. Imposes requirements relating to the form of certain orally consumable manufactured hemp products. Imposes certain labeling requirements. Appropriates moneys.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS.

Requires that all lease extensions for public lands be subject to public auction.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO DUST MONITORING.

Requires landfills to have dust monitoring stations.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO THE STATE COUNCIL ON MENTAL HEALTH.

Requires the State Council on Mental Health to include an unspecified number of members with demonstrated knowledge of or work experience involving native Hawaiian health practices. Requires council members to receive annual training on topics related to native Hawaiian healing and health.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO PRINCE JONAH KUHIO KALANIANAOLE.

Requires certain public buildings near mass transit projects and on Hawaiian home lands to display a portrait of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. (SD1)

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS.

Authorizes the election of the members of the Hawaiian Homes Commission. Establishes the elected office of Director of Hawaiian Home Lands, the holder of which shall have administrative oversight over the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Subject to congressional approval.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.

Prohibits the planting of large trees along evacuation routes. Requires the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to identify large trees along evacuation routes and trim, spray, or remove large trees having the potential to obstruct an evacuation route. Defines evacuation route. Appropriates moneys.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO DOWN PAYMENTS.

Establishes within the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation a current and returning resident down payment program to provide matching funds for the down payment on a primary residence. Appropriates moneys and establishes positions.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Increases the general excise tax by 1%. Establishes the teacher salary special fund within the Department of Education. Requires that increased general excise tax revenues be deposited into the teacher salary special fund and the school facilities special fund.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT.

Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to mail beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, monthly accountability reports that contain certain information on leases and fiscal matters.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO ABANDONED VEHICLES.

Authorizes each county director of finance to waive, for up to one year, certain abandoned vehicle tow, storage, and other charges, fees, and fines owed to the county.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT.

Requires the Department of Human Resources Development to allow other executive branch departments to select applicants for civil service positions from the applicant pool for initial screening.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO THE STATE BUILDING CODE.

Requires the State Building Code Council to develop and adopt a green building standards code.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Amends the environmental response, energy, and food security tax to address carbon emissions. Incrementally increases the tax rate over time. Establishes a refundable tax credit to mitigate the effect of a carbon emissions tax on lower-income taxpayers. Establishes and appropriates moneys into the carbon emissions tax and dividend special fund. Reenacts the agricultural development and food security special fund. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO MARINE PASSENGER FEES.

Establishes a cruise ship passenger fee to be collected beginning 1/1/2026 by the Department of Transportation to be used for infrastructure projects benefiting cruise ships with an emphasis on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Establishes the Cruise Ship Passenger Fee Special Fund. Appropriates funds.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

Requires each state agency to expeditiously use energy efficient lighting. Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office to provide technical assistance and survey state agencies for compliance, prioritizing first responder facilities. Requires the Department of Accounting and General Services to assist the Hawaii State Energy Office in conducting the survey. Requires a report of the survey to the Legislature. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO.

Appropriates funds for one retention coordinator position, one internship coordinator position, and student enrollment management initiatives at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii System for various nursing programs. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.

Requires employers to provide employees with paid breaks.

AQUINO

RELATING TO UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS.

Requires an owner or operator of an underground storage tank or tank system with a confirmed release to meet certain standards for the restoration of the environment. Establishes a rebuttable presumption that any 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. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Requires corporations, organizations, or individuals engaging to commercial transactions or trade practices to clearly and conspicuously notify consumers when the consumer is interacting with an artificial intelligence chatbot or other technology capable of mimicking human behaviors. Authorizes private rights of action. Establishes statutory penalties.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO ALCOHOL.

Defines "low alcohol by volume spirits beverage". Establishes a tax on low alcohol by volume spirits beverages at a rate of $0.85 per wine gallon. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Requires all health insurance policies, contracts, plans, and agreements issued or renewed after 12/31/2025, to provide optional coverage for standard fertility preservation services for persons undergoing medically necessary cancer-related treatments that may cause iatrogenic infertility. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD2)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY-EFFICIENCY PORTFOLIO STANDARDS.

Extends the State's energy-efficiency portfolio standards from 2030 to 2045 and updates the standards. Authorizes the public utilities commission to adjust the 2045 and interim standards.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY.

Repeals the Land Court. Requires registered owners of an interest in property registered in land court to deregister their interest. Requires the land court to inform registered owners of the requirement to deregister. Appropriates moneys.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO VACANT STATE POSITIONS.

Requires that state public service positions vacant for longer than 2 years be removed from the state budget.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO SAFETY.

Requires the Department of Education to assign school resource officers or guards to serve at public elementary schools and state prekindergarten programs. Requires report to the Legislature. Requires the Department of Education to seek funding from federal grants. Appropriates funds.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO ELECTRIC BICYCLES.

Amends various definitions of "moped" throughout the Hawaii Revised Statutes to exclude low-speed electric bicycles. Deletes an unused term from Chapter 286, Hawaii Revised Statutes. Establishes regulations for low-speed electric bicycles and clarifies the applicability of certain conflicting regulations that are applicable to all bicycles.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

Requires the Developmental Disabilities Division of the Department of Health to amend its eligibility criteria for the home and community-based services Medicaid waiver to include individuals having an intellectual or a developmental disability and a comorbid mental illness. Appropriates funds.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

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 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 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 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 ARBORISTS.

Requires the State to ensure and enforce that all certified arborists in its employ, including contractors, adhere to best management practices.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO WATER CONSERVATION.

Incentivizes the installation and use of gray water recycling systems and atmospheric water generators in the State by establishing an income tax credit to be administered by the Department of Taxation. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to establish a rebate program. Requires the State Building Code Council to adopt certain standards on gray water recycling systems and atmospheric water generators in the State. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL.

Appropriates funds for the Native Resources and Fire Protection Program and Hawaii Invasive Species Council to ensure their long-term viability and continue to control and eradicate invasive species in the State. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD1)

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 WATER.

Establishes the Landfill Advisory Committee within the Department of Health. Requires the DOH, in consultation with the Department of Land and Natural Resources and each county's department of board or water supply to create maps of the State's drinking water aquifers. Prohibits the siting, construction, modification, or expansion of any waste or disposal facility for hazardous or solid waste on land that is near or above an aquifer as determined by the DOH in consultation with the affected county's department or board of water supply. Expands buffer zones from one-half mile to one mile around a waste or disposal facility. Establishes penalties. Expands the definition of buffer zone to include aquifers, hotel or tourist accommodations, and businesses.

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 AGRICULTURE.

Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

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 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 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 RURAL EMERGENCY HOSPITALS.

Creates a framework for the licensure of rural emergency hospitals by the Department of Health. Provides for the continuation of Medicaid policy protections for hospitals transitioning to a rural emergency hospital designation.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Requires Huli Au Ola to conduct a study on physician and dentist recruitment and retention to serve the island of Molokai. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS.

Establishes a Food and Product Innovation Network within the Agribusiness Development Corporation. Appropriates funds for the development of Food and Product Innovation Network facilities. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE I OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND PROTECT THE INHERENT AND INALIENABLE RIGHT OF ALL 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 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. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat