Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES.

Authorizes the issuance of special number vehicle license plates commemorating the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT.

Establishes a paid family leave program for state and county employees. Authorizes a qualifying employee to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth or placement of a child or to care for a family member who has a serious health condition. Requires the employee to agree to subsequently work for the employer for at least 12 weeks upon return to service except under certain conditions. Effective 1/1/2026.

Scot Z. MatayoshiDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LAND CONVEYANCE TAX.

Establishes a surcharge on the conveyance tax upon the net capital gain from the transfer or conveyance of agricultural land.

Amy A. PerrusoDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMON INTEREST OWNERSHIP COMMUNITIES.

Creates regulation requirements for managers of homeowners' associations, planned community associations, cooperative housing corporations, and condominium unit owners' associations in the State. Requires licensure of association managers beginning 7/1/2027. Establishes an Association Manager Licensing Board within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS.

Requires the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to make all business registration applications available online. Requires all applications to contain certain contact information.

Greggor IlaganDemocrat

RELATING TO LAND COURT.

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.

Mark J. HashemDemocrat

RELATING TO IRONWORKERS.

Prohibits any person from disassembling, dismantling, or demolishing iron projects unless the person has completed an apprenticeship program for ironworkers approved and registered with the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations. Establishes penalties. Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to adopt rules.

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires the Board of Education to establish a Korean language program. Appropriates funds.

Mike LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE INDUSTRY LICENSING ACT.

Authorizes manufacturers and distributors to sell directly to consumers items activated or installed through remote electronic transmission. Clarifies the applicability of the Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Act to common entities. Amends the grounds for denying, suspending, revoking, or otherwise taking adverse action on a licensee. Prohibits a manufacturer or distributor from requiring a dealer to purchase or lease any electric vehicle charging station at the dealer's expenses unless provided notice of intent to sell the manufacturer's or distributor's electric vehicles. Clarifies the conditions for the transfer of a franchise. Clarifies the requirements for reimbursing a dealer for parts and labor.

Chris ToddDemocrat

RELATING TO OFFENDER REENTRY.

Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to issue a certificate of suitability for employment. Requires the Department to collaborate with state and federal agencies and private employers to educate stakeholders on the certification. Appropriate funds.

Christopher L. MuraokaRepublican

RELATING TO COUNTY PERMITTING AND INSPECTION.

Exempts state projects from county building permit, inspection, and certificate of occupancy requirements under certain conditions. Requires counties to accept the dedication of state projects exempt from the county permitting process. Prohibits state agencies responsible for state projects exempt from county building permit, inspection, and certificate of occupancy requirements from applying for county building permits. Defines building permit, state agency, state lands, and state project.

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Requires the Hawaii emergency management agency to inventory all designated emergency shelters and their ability to withstand a category one hurricane or higher. Requires Hawaii emergency management agency to publish a publicly available list of shelters and their respective hurricane ratings. Appropriates funds for a hurricane shelter retrofit program and director.

WARD

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 VETERANS RIGHTS AND BENEFITS.

Regulates persons receiving compensation for providing advice or assistance regarding veterans benefits.

Mark J. HashemDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

Amends the composition of the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund board of trustees. Clarifies vacancy procedures. Amends quorum requirements and voting powers.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Allows bidders to clarify or correct immaterial or technical information required as part of a bid submission for up to twenty-four hours after the bid submission deadline. Requires that bids for construction be opened no sooner than twenty-four hours after the deadline for the submission of bids. Defines "immaterial or technical information". Repeals 6/30/2027.

Scot Z. MatayoshiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE PROCUREMENT CODE.

Requires public contractors to obtain insurance to cover at least half of a project's construction costs to the State to provide funds for curing construction defects discovered within ten years after the completion of the contract. Authorizes the State to institute an action against the contractor for the total costs of curing those defects.

Scot Z. MatayoshiDemocrat

RELATING TO NON-GENERAL FUNDS.

Closes or reclassifies certain non-general funds of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, pursuant to certain recommendations made by the Auditor in Auditor's Report No. 2408.

Mark J. HashemDemocrat

RELATING TO CAPITAL ADVANCEMENT CONTRACTS.

Amends section 266-19.5(d), HRS, for the purpose of increasing the cap for the contract value of any one capital advancement contract (CAC) and the cap for the total aggregate value of CACs in a fiscal year entered into by the Department of Transportation with private parties for harbor improvements. Adds reporting requirements for the department.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO ABOLITION OF JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY FOR GOVERNMENT ENTITIES IN HIGHWAY-RELATED CIVIL ACTIONS.

Amends sections 663-10.5 and 663-10.9, HRS, to abolish joint and several liability for government entities in claims and cases relating to the maintenance and design of highways under chapter 663, HRS, so that government entities would be liable only for the percentage share of the damages actually attributable to them.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND CONTRIBUTIONS.

Sets the amount of the employer contribution to the Hawaii employer-union health benefits trust fund as a fixed percentage of the health benefits plan or life insurance plan premium cost. Makes conforming amendments.

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT.

Prohibits state contractors, prospective state contractors, holders of procurement prequalification certificates, or principals of these groups from making contributions to, or soliciting contributions from their employees or from subcontractors or principals of subcontractors on behalf of, certain candidate committees, noncandidate committees, and political party committees. Requires the Procurement Policy Board to adopt rules to issue prequalification certificates to prospective contractors for public buildings or other public works. Amends the contribution limits for certain individuals and noncandidate committees. Prohibits lobbyists and certain persons related to lobbyists from soliciting contributions from client lobbyists. Increases the administrative fines.

David A. TarnasDemocrat

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.

LA CHICA

RELATING TO THE STRENGTHEN HAWAII HOMES PROGRAM.

Establishes the Strengthen Hawaii Homes Program to encourage single-family homeowners to retrofit their homes to resist damage by providing for grants to help offset the cost of retrofits. Appropriates funds.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO DIGITAL EQUITY.

Establishes and appropriates funds for a digital navigator pilot program to offer technical assistance with computers and electronic devices to residents.

Greggor IlaganDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY.

Amends section 356D-6.7, HRS, to include all Hawaii Public Housing Authority parcels as areas that may be closed to the public.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO TOURISM.

Appropriates funds for a State Capitol tour guide position within the Public Access Room.

Mike LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE LABELING OF MACADAMIA NUTS.

Specifies that the macadamia nut labeling requirements apply if the applicable products are produced in whole or in part from Hawaii-grown and Hawaii-processed macadamia nuts. Effective 1/2/2026.

Tyson K. MiyakeDemocrat

RELATING TO COUNTY USER FEES.

Exempts the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from county user fees, in the amount of $100,000 aggregate per year, and ensures county services to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for Hawaiian Home Lands.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO OCEAN RECREATION MANAGEMENT.

Establishes a standard of state waters within three thousand feet seaward of the base line of the territorial sea as ocean recreation management areas. Prohibits commercial activity in ocean recreation management areas, except by a commercial use permit.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO SAFE SPACES FOR YOUTH PROGRAM.

Makes the Safe Spaces for Youth Pilot Program permanent within the Office of Youth Services. Requires the program to collaborate with all state and county departments that offer services for youth and young adults to coordinate the identification of youth and young adults who are experiencing homelessness and placement of these youth at a shelter for homeless youth or young adults. Authorizes the Office of Youth Services to contract with nonprofit organizations to provide shelters for homeless youth or young adults. Requires the Office of Youth Services to submit a report twenty days prior to the regular session of the Legislature.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.

Prohibits boards from beginning or continuing meetings after 9:00 p.m., excluding county council meetings.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN.

Expands the authority of the Office of the Ombudsman by amending the definition of "administrative act" to include the lease of state agricultural lands.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Amends multiple definitions and penalties for fireworks offenses, including heightened penalties if another person suffers substantial bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death as a result of the fireworks offenses. Establishes criminal offenses of general fireworks or articles pyrotechnic prohibitions in the first and second degree; sending or receiving fireworks or articles pyrotechnic by air delivery; distributing fireworks or articles pyrotechnic to non-permit holder; removal or extraction of pyrotechnic contents; consumer fireworks prohibitions; refusal to provide identification; and violating requirements of carrier. Establishes an adjudication system and procedures to process fireworks infractions; makes an appropriation.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Exempts the sale of groceries and nonprescription drugs from the general excise tax. Incrementally increases the general excise tax over four years, with the increased proceeds during certain fiscal years to be deposited into the general fund. Removes the state income tax on unemployment compensation benefits. Doubles the standard deduction for individuals earning less than $100,000 and joint returns earning less than $200,000. Repeals the incremental increases on standard income tax deduction amounts. Increases the minimum income threshold and exemption amount for the low-income household renters' income tax credit. Removes the tax liability for the first $100,000 of individual income earned. Establishes the Maui Recovery Special Fund to be used for recovery programs related to the 2023 Maui wildfires. Appropriates funds. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024.

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Prohibits the legislative body of a county from making modifications to housing development proposals that would increase the cost of the project.

Tyson K. MiyakeDemocrat

RELATING TO SAFE ENTRYWAYS.

Prohibit individuals from residing in a doorway or surrounding area of certain places. Gives county police departments primary authority to enforce the prohibition.

Ikaika OldsDemocrat

MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR CONSTRUCTION DEFECT REMEDIATION AT THE HAWAII STATE HOSPITAL.

Emergency Appropriation of $8,160,000 in general funds to the Department of Health to fund construction defect remediation, including the payment of legal fees and cost of special deputies attorney general, of the Hale Ho`ola Building of the Hawaii State Hospital.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO IDENTIFICATION PROCESSING.

Requires that the Attorney General's identification system include criminal cases initiated via citations that resulted in conviction, deferred acceptance of guilty or nolo contendere plea, or conditional discharge, and that a court order identification processing in such cases.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT.

Amends the definition of "employer" in state law that governs payment of wages and other compensation to include the State and counties when a provision in that law has no comparable provision in state law that governs public officers and employees.

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE.

Makes mandatory the suspension of the driver's license of a driver or registered owner of a vehicle for operating a motor vehicle without a motor vehicle insurance policy.

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

Clarifies the scope of an action subject to environmental review.

Mark J. HashemDemocrat

RELATING TO USE OF INTOXICANTS WHILE OPERATING A VEHICLE.

Lowers the blood alcohol content threshold for driving while under the influence of alcohol from .08 to .05 or more grams of alcohol to reduce impaired driving and fatal crashes.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO WATER POLLUTION.

Amends section 200-14, HRS, to clarify that enforcement of criminal water pollution offenses remains under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health, rather than the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO TRESPASSING.

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

Jenna TakenouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO DISABILITIES.

Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to evaluate its facilities for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and compile a list of non-compliant facilities. Requires report to the Legislature.

Terez AmatoDemocrat

RELATING TO PEDESTRIANS.

Authorizes pedestrians to cross roadways in a manner contrary to the statewide traffic code under certain circumstances.

Chris ToddDemocrat