Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Amends emergency management laws to clarify state and county authority. Prohibits the Governor or Mayor from suspending requests for records or vital records and statistics during a state of emergency. Adds definition of the term "severe weather warning". Allows the Legislature and county councils to terminate a state of emergency after thirty days, in whole or in part, issued by the Governor or Mayor, respectively. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Prohibits any person from charging any fees on a transient accommodation or resort time share vacation interest, plan, or unit that were not disclosed before the time of purchase. Requires a person to clearly and conspicuously display a rate or price that includes all fees to be charged at the time of purchase in each advertisement for a transient accommodation or resort time share vacation interest, plan, or unit. Requires any taxes and fees that are displayed as a percentage of the cost on a booking transaction also be displayed as a dollar amount at the time of purchase.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Prohibits any person from advertising, displaying, or offering a price for the rental or letting of a transient accommodation or resort time share vacation unit that does not include all taxes and fees imposed by a government entity that the renter or guest must pay. Requires a person to clearly and conspicuously display a rate or price that includes all taxes and fees imposed by a government entity that the renter or guest must pay in each advertisement for the rental or letting of a transient accommodation or resort time share vacation unit. Requires any taxes and fees that are displayed as a percentage of the cost on a booking transaction to also be displayed as a dollar amount at the time of purchase.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.

Requires defendants convicted of causing the death or disability of a parent or legal guardian of a minor child by the operation of a vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicant to make restitution in the form of financial support to each child of the victim. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO LABOR.

Establishes clear criteria for unpaid student internship programs under the state wage laws.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO FAIR SCHEDULING.

Requires employers to provide employees with written notice of the employee's shift schedule at least ten calendar days before the employee is scheduled to work, under certain circumstances. Requires certain employers to pay their employees twice as much as their regular rate of pay for time worked when their shift schedule was not timely given.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO LEAF BLOWERS.

Defines "residential zone" for purposes of leaf blower restrictions to include residential districts, apartment districts, and business mixed use districts.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.

Requires the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions to establish a permanent Return-to-Home program to return homeless individuals in the State to families and relatives in their home states. Requires the Office to report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH COURT.

Permanently establishes and appropriates funds for the Community Outreach Court as a division of the District Court of the First Circuit. Effective 4/23/2057. (HD1)

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO DIGITAL CURRENCY.

Clarifies that chapter 489D, HRS, relating to the Money Transmitters Modernization Act, applies to digital currency companies and activity.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREARMS.

Allows the carrying or possessing of firearm parts only at or between certain locations and in an enclosed container. Defines firearm parts and prohibited persons. Establishes and increases penalties for the carrying or possessing of certain firearms or firearm parts other than at or between specific locations and in an enclosed container. (SD1)

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE BOATING FACILITIES.

Establishes a State Boating Facility Lease Program within the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to be administered by DOBOR. Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural to lease Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor for private development, management, maintenance, and operation. Repeals provisions relating to the leasing of fast lands and submerged lands of Ala Wai Boat Harbor. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Repeals the State Boating Facility Lease Program on 6/30/2045.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO LEAF BLOWERS.

Beginning 1/1/2027, prohibits the sale or offer for sale of gasoline-powered leaf blowers. Repeals the exemption on leaf blower restrictions for government agencies.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO STREAM MAINTENANCE.

Clarifies that personal property stored in or near a public stream or tributary for a continuous period of more than twenty-four hours shall become abandoned property which the Department of Land and Natural Resources shall dispose of.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Prohibits the issuance of a certificate of inspection for a moped or motor vehicle that has been altered, installed, or otherwise modified in any way which will noticeably increase the noise emitted by the motor vehicle or moped above that emitted by the motor vehicle or moped as equipped from the factory.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO MEDICAL RECORDS.

Requires health care providers to provide patients with copies of billing records within ten working days of a request from the patient and provide written notice to patients if there is a credit on the patient's account. Clarifies that health care providers must respond to medical record requests from patients in a timely manner pursuant to federal regulations, with exceptions. Establishes penalties for violations.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO RESILIENCY.

Establishes the Food and Beverage Supply Chain Resiliency Income Tax Credit to be administered by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Department of Taxation. Requires DBEDT to establish expedited permitting processes for food and beverage supply chain activities.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO MIDWIVES.

Establishes a licensing scheme for licensed certified midwives and licensed certified professional midwives, to be overseen by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Reestablishes the home birth task force to provide recommendations on issues related to home births. Dissolves the task force on 6/30/2026. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO PROPERTY DAMAGE OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES.

Establishes the offense of criminal property damage to critical infrastructure facilities in the first and second degree. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE NAMING COMMISSION.

Establishes an Advisory Commission in the Department of Accounting and General Services to propose names or a change of names for state buildings, parks, facilities, and events.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO ONLINE FANTASY SPORTS.

Establishes an online fantasy sports contests registration and monitoring program under the Department of the Attorney General. Imposes an online fantasy sports contests tax on the gross revenues of registrants. Establishes the Online Fantasy Sports Contests Special Fund and allocates proceeds of the fund to the Lahaina community recovery efforts. Exempts registered online fantasy sports contests from state gambling laws. Appropriates funds.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO TAX INCREMENT BONDS.

Requires counties to commission a comprehensive economic impact analysis before issuing tax increment bonds and make the analysis publicly available. Requires counties issuing tax increment bonds to conduct publicly available biennial independent audits and report to the Legislature. Requires counties issuing tax increment bonds to establish a review board to oversee tax increment bond projects. Restricts the amount of total outstanding tax increment bonds that may be excluded from the calculation of a county's debt limits from exceeding twenty per cent. Conforms county debt limit statements law to exclude tax increment bonds from the debt limit of the counties if a constitutional amendment authorizing the use of tax increment bonds and excluding tax increment bonds from determinations of the counties' funded debt is ratified.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT.

Establishes and appropriates moneys for a Select Commission on Government Restructuring within the Office of the Governor. Requires interim reports and a final report to the Legislature. Dissolves the Commission on 12/31/2027. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO TAX CREDITS.

Establishes a nonrefundable income tax credit for taxpayers who construct or install improvements to their residence that increase the residence's fire safety rating as calculated by the taxpayer's homeowner's insurance policy. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025. Effective 7/1/2077. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Exempts medical services from the general excise tax.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

Establishes a working group within the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to identify existing mixed-use developments in Maui County that could be acquired by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation for use as affordable housing and commercial rental leases. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

Requires that Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation housing projects include a restrictive covenant that states that the units designated as affordable housing, as described in the submitted project application, shall remain as affordable housing in perpetuity. Prohibits development of affordable housing in a special flood hazard area.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO NON-GENERAL FUNDS.

Reclassifies certain non-general funds of the Department of Accounting and General Services, pursuant to the recommendations made by the Auditor in Auditor's Report No. 23-17.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC AGENCY MEETINGS.

Requires appointments and selections of heads of state divisions and agencies that require a board approval to be made through a publicly established process and timeline. Requires the approval of the process and timeline to appoint or select a new head of a state division or agency to be determined in an open meeting. Requires that votes to appoint or select heads of state divisions and agencies be conducted in an open meeting. Provides that any vote to appoint or select a head of a state division or agency cast in violation of the foregoing shall be invalid. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO THE SUNSHINE LAW.

Authorizes any member of a board to attend an informational meeting or presentation on matters relating to board business; provided that the meeting or presentation is not specifically and exclusively organized for or directed toward members of the board. Repeals the requirement of a subsequent report of attendance and the matters presented and discussed that related to board business at the informational meeting or presentation.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO STATEWIDE COMPOSTING.

Requires the Department of Health to adopt or amend rules to establish a classification system for composting facilities or operations. Allows composting and co-composting in the agricultural district, including on lands with class A or class B soils. Appropriates moneys.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO WATER.

Defines the public trust responsibilities of the Commission on Water Resource Management. Allows the Commission to retain independent legal counsel. Amends the scope of the Commission to include declaration of emergencies. Repeals the position of Deputy to the Chairperson of the Commission on Water Resource Management and establishes the position of Executive Director. Amends the composition of the Commission. Authorizes entities to challenge an emergency order of the Commission under certain conditions. Establishes fines for certain water use offenses.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO DEFERRED RETIREMENT FOR POLICE.

Establishes a deferred retirement option program for police officers.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO MIDWIVES.

Establishes a licensing scheme for licensed certified midwives and licensed certified professional midwives, to be overseen by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Reestablishes the home birth task force to provide recommendations on issues related to home births. Dissolves the task force on 6/30/2026. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

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 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 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 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 DANGEROUS DRUGS.

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

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO HIGHWAY SAFETY.

Amends the offense of negligent injury in the first degree to include injuries negligently inflicted by intoxicated drivers.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO UNCREWED AIRCRAFT OFFENSES.

Increases the penalty for using an uncrewed aircraft in the furtherance of the commission of a felony.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO BRIBERY.

Establishes heightened penalties for the offense of bribery, under certain circumstances. (SD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREARMS.

Prohibits the possession, transfer, and sale of ghost guns. Establishes mandatory minimum sentencing for use of a ghost gun in the commission of a felony.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR CAREER CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.

Appropriates funds to the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu for the Career Criminal Prosecution Unit. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

Appropriates funds as a grant-in-aid to the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu for the Victim Witness Assistance Program. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Repeals the sunset provision in Act 45, SLH 2024, related to the counties' authorization to develop, construct, finance, refinance, or otherwise provide mixed-use developments.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO LOBBYING.

Establishes certain presumptions regarding testimony when provided by a lobbyist. Makes certain contracts voidable when entered into in violation of the state lobbying law. Expands the definition of "lobbying" in the state lobbying law to include certain communications with high-level government officials regarding procurement decisions.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat