Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO TREES.

Requires State departments, offices, and agencies to ensure and enforce that all arborists and other professionals in its employ, including contractors, who manage trees or lands that will impact public trees adhere to best management practices. Effective 7/1/2525. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Requires the Agribusiness Development Corporation to establish an Agricultural Conservation Easement Program to purchase from willing private land owners agricultural conservation easements to preserve and protect the land for agricultural use in perpetuity. Establishes the Agricultural Conservation Easement Management Special Fund. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Reestablishes the Agricultural Development and Food Security Special Fund. Establishes the Carbon Emissions Tax and Dividend Special Fund. Gradually increases the Environmental Response, Energy, Carbon Emissions, and Food Security tax rates and establishes a refundable carbon cashback tax credit to offset increases for most taxpayers. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.

Establishes a lifecycle greenhouse gas emission intensity standard that an energy source must meet to be considered a renewable energy source. Excludes trees and woody products of trees from the definition of "renewable energy".

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO NEONICOTINOIDS.

Beginning 1/1/2027, prohibits the sale, possession, or use of a pesticide containing one or more neonicotinoid pesticides, under certain conditions. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to evaluate the potential impacts of and adopt any necessary control measures for neonicotinoid pesticide use on pollinating insects, native migratory and resident birds, aquatic organisms, and human health. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

Specifies a time limit for the validity of a finding of no significant impact of a final environmental assessment or acceptance of a final environmental impact statement for a proposed action. Requires an agency or applicant to commence a new environmental review process for the proposed action if the validity expires.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

Phases in requirements that all newly manufactured washing machines sold within the State by January 1, 2042, be equipped with a microfiber filter. Requires certification that newly manufactured washing machines have microfiber filters. Establishes penalties.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO CLIMATE RESILIENCE.

Requires the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative Program to design and implement a plan to increase jobs that strengthen emergency preparedness and climate resilience. Authorizes the use of the Energy Security Special Fund to advance the State's goals of strengthening emergency preparedness and climate mitigation.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.

Requires government entities in the State that issue building permits to implement SolarAPP+ or a functionally equivalent online automated permitting platform that verifies code compliance and issues permits to licensed contractors for solar distributed energy resource systems in real-time by 1/1/2027. Requires government entities in the State that issue building permits in areas served by an investor-owned electric utility to adopt a self-certification process for solar distributed energy resource systems that are not SolarAPP+ compatible.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO AIR POLLUTION.

Requires owners or operators of waste combustion facilities to develop a plan to implement continuous monitoring and sampling technologies at each combustion unit to monitor and sample for certain air contaminants. Requires a publicly available website hosted by the Department of Health to track and display the data collected on the air contaminants. Requires the Department of Health to adjust permit limits for air contaminants based on the data collected. Requires annual reports to the Legislature.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO INCOME TAX.

Establishes a Solar Canopy Installation Tax Credit that applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Requires the Director of Taxation to take certain actions to implement the tax credit.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Establishes the Farmland Transition Commission to examine barriers certain farmers face when trying to purchase or access farmland and provide recommendations on possible incentives or policies to assist these individuals in purchasing or accessing farmland. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Sunsets 12/31/2032. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO JUVENILE OFFENDERS.

Authorizes a court to modify sentences imposed on juvenile offenders if certain conditions are met and the court finds that, after considering certain factors, the defendant is not a danger to the safety of any person or the community and the modification is in the interests of justice. Establishes procedures, provides for hearings and representation by counsel, and authorizes appellate review. (HD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

For purposes of registering a condominium project in an agricultural district, (1) lowers the threshold from projects with five units to projects with two units for which a signed statement from a county is required and (2) requires a signed statement from the neighborhood board, if applicable.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS.

Requires that an environmental assessment be conducted and an environmental impact statement be prepared for any proposed use within historic properties designated by the Hawaii or National Register of Historic Places, important to native Hawaiian people or to another ethnic group of the State, or determined to be eligible as a traditional cultural property or place on the National Register of Historic Places. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.

Requires government entities in the State that issue building permits to implement SolarAPP+ or a functionally equivalent online automated permitting platform that verifies code compliance and issues permits to licensed contractors for solar distributed energy resource systems in real-time by 1/1/2026. Requires government entities in the State that issue building permits in areas served by an investor-owned electric utility to adopt a self-certification process for solar distributed energy resource systems that are not SolarAPP+ compatible.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND BIOSECURITY.

Appropriates funds for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) grant writer position within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and converts the position from temporary to permanent. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Codifies the Agricultural Statistics Program in statute. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Directs the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to conduct a study on insurance coverage for small agricultural producers. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XVII, SECTION 3 OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO SPECIFY THAT THE STANDARD FOR VOTER APPROVAL OF A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY THE LEGISLATURE IS A MAJORITY OF ALL THE VOTES TALLIED UPON THE QUESTION.

Proposes to amend article XVII, section 3, of the Hawaii State Constitution regarding the standard for ratification of a constitutional amendment proposed by the Legislature, to provide that proposed amendments shall be effective only if approved at a general election by a majority of all the votes tallied upon the question. Effective 7/1/2050. (HD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO CARBON OFFSETS.

Requires the Department of Transportation to assist and enable a person to voluntarily purchase a verified carbon offset for greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the person's air travel to or from an airport in the State.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

Requires that whenever there is a difference between the English and Hawaii version of law that is material to its interpretation, priority shall be given to the language that aligns with the intent of the legislature as evidenced by legislative history, context, and purpose. Clarifies that Hawaiian shall not be required for public acts and transactions, but is welcomed. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.

Amends the Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA) to require contractors who perform agency functions to retain records following the retention schedule of the agency and to provide the agency access to the records upon request. Establishes that all records retained by an agency function contractor shall be deemed government records for the purposes of the UIPA. Exempts contracts entered into by the Employees' Retirement System. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO CLAIMS AGAINST THE STATE.

Prohibits claims for refunds, reimbursements, or other payments, authorization for which is sought from the Legislature that exceed the time limitations of section 40-68, Hawaii Revised Statutes, from being claimed. Requires the Attorney General to submit a confidential report within five days after the opening of a Regular Session to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, President of the Senate, Chairs of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees that provides a good faith estimate of each possible judgment against the State that has not yet settled. Requires the Attorney General to submit a report every five years to the Legislature containing further incidents that occurred in an agency that led to a claim. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCING FOR CANDIDATES TO ELECTED OFFICE.

Establishes a comprehensive system of public financing for all candidates seeking election to state and county public offices in the State, to begin with the 2028 general election year. Requires the Campaign Spending Commission to submit reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES.

Appropriates funds for the removal of overgrown vegetation from the Kainahola Stream drainageway. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LOANS.

Authorizes the Agricultural Loan Division of the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to sell portions of its loan portfolio to permitted third parties, with proceeds to be deposited into the Agricultural Loan Revolving Fund. Appropriates funds out of the Agricultural Loan Revolving Fund to increase its expenditure ceiling and thereby expand access to agricultural loan financing and support local food production. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.

Makes permanent, rather than repealing upon the adoption of relevant administrative rules, the Department of Land and Natural Resources' authority to establish a transaction fee for certain services rendered by the Bureau of Conveyances for each recording in the Bureau of Conveyances and Land Court. Amends the authorized uses of moneys in the Bureau of Conveyances Special Fund. Repeals language that required the Bureau of Conveyances' microfilm fees to be established by rules. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.

Authorizes the Hawaii Medical Board to issue an active retired clinician license to retired physicians, osteopathic physicians, and surgeons with inactive Hawaii medical licenses to provide volunteer clinical work through community-based health care or public health organizations.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Increases the contract award value that triggers required proof of vendor compliance from $2,500 to $5,000. Effective 7/1/2525. (SD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO IDENTITY THEFT.

Includes fraudulent impersonation or false depiction through artificial intelligence or materially deceptive media in the offenses of identity theft.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO IDENTIFICATION.

Allows applicants for driver's permit, driver's license, or civil identification cards to request a nonapparent disability notation on their permit, license, or identification card.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Implements the Condominium Property Regime Task Force recommendations.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Exempts condominium associations and managing agents from providing documentation not already in existence or preparing forms to facilitate a private sales transaction.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Reduces condominium associations' cash flow plans from a thirty-year projection to a twenty-five-year projection of the association's future income and expenses to fully fund its replacement reserves requirements each year during that twenty-five-year period.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE.

Requires that if parking is to be included in any new state building construction, the design provide that at least twenty-five per cent of parking stalls be electric vehicle charger-ready. Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office, in consultation with the Department of Accounting and General Services and the Department of Transportation, to conduct a survey and identify certain high-priority state facilities. Establishes a goal of the State to retrofit state facilities to be electric vehicle charger-ready. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Establishes provisions authorizing common interest associations to form and participate in residential association captive insurance companies under certain conditions. Authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to regulate residential association captive insurance companies.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Removes discriminatory requirements for mandatory insurance coverage of in vitro fertilization procedures to create parity of coverage for same-sex couples, unmarried individuals, transgender persons, and opposite-sex couples for whom male infertility is the relevant factor. Requires the insured or the insured's dependent spouse to have a history of infertility of at least six months' duration, rather than five years. Includes need for medical intervention to conceive due to physiological or anatomical factors.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITIES.

Requires cooperative housing corporation proxy forms to include certain language related to the selection options for proxies. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITIES.

Clarifies that a community association manager is an individual who is the managing agent responsible for the contracted management and oversight of a cooperative housing corporation, condominium association, or homeowners association. Amends the definition of "managing agent" to include a community association manager.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO HOMEOWNERS' ASSOCIATIONS.

Expands the definition of condominium association to include associations organized under chapter 421J, HRS.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITIES.

Requires all managing agents of cooperative housing corporations, planned community associations, and condominiums to distribute information received regarding educational opportunities or seminars electronically to the board of directors of the cooperative housing corporation, planned community association, or condominium.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION MEDICAL TREATMENT.

Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish a medical treatment utilization schedule to standardize treatment for injured employees involved in workers' compensation claims.

Joy A. San BuenaventuraDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Clarifies the authorizations for education expenses incurred by the board of directors of a condominium association.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITIES.

Specifies that all condominium associations, boards, and managing agents are required to comply with any applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT.

Extends child care subsidies to disabled parents or guardians, regardless of their employment status. Requires the Department of Human Services to evaluate caregiver capacity and dependent-care responsibilities when determining eligibility for medicaid home- and community-based services. Requires the Department of Human Services to update its evaluation form and functional assessment protocols related to level of care and at-risk needs determinations. Appropriates funds.

Joy A. San BuenaventuraDemocrat

RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FARM TO SCHOOL PROCUREMENT.

Requires the Department of Education to establish rules for the procurement of goods and services related to the administration of food programs at public schools that incorporate a geographic preference for unprocessed locally grown and locally raised food products.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

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 and use of facial coverings.

Joy A. San BuenaventuraDemocrat