Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOL LAND TRANSFER.

Amends Act 307, SLH 2022, to revise tax map key numbers and the conveyance process by which identified properties are to be conveyed to the Department of Education. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING.

Raises the ceiling for the prevailing wages exemption on public works construction projects from $2,000 to $5,000 for governmental contracting agencies. Creates exemption to contractors licensing laws for public works construction projects valued up to $5,000 for governmental contracting agencies.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.

Requires the Department of Education to charge not less than one-quarter of the cost of preparing a school meal for each school meal. (SD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Updates Hawaii's statutory framework for adult and community education programs to ensure alignment with federal funding requirements and current best practices in those programs. Effective 7/31/2055. (SD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Authorizes the Department of Education to award a high school diploma to qualified persons who did not receive a high school diploma as a result of compulsory or voluntary induction into the armed services of the United States or whose high school education was interrupted due to wartime practices during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE INTERSTATE COMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MILITARY CHILDREN.

Updates references to the United States Code in the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROCUREMENT.

Adjusts the applicability of Act 134, SLH 2025, to clarify the threshold for Department of Education procurement of local edible produce and packaged food products. Prohibits the artificial division and parceling of DOE procurements of local edible produce and packaged food products. Sunsets 6/30/2028. Effective 7/31/2055. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO SCHOOL LICENSURE.

Transfers the licensing authority of private trade, vocational, and technical schools from the Department of Education to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Short form bill relating to education.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO PHYSICAL EDUCATION ASSESSMENTS.

Requires the Board of Education to update content and performance standards to reinstate the Presidential Fitness Test.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO PRIVATE SUPPORT OF EDUCATION.

Clarifies that free tuition at private educational institutions are to be considered conditional gifts that support educational advancements rather than contractual obligations. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO PHYSICIAN CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION.

Beginning 1/1/2027, requires nutrition and metabolic education as part of the physician continuing medical education requirements. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO INCOME TAX.

Repeals future adjustments to income tax brackets. For taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026, increases the income tax rates for the three highest income tax brackets by one percentage point each. Increases a taxpayer's applicable percentage of employment-related expenses that is used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit. Establishes certain disallowance periods following a final decision that a claim for the credit was due to fraud and that the claim was disallowed. Extends the sunset for amendments made by Act 163, SLH 2023, to the Household and Dependent Care Services Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, and Food/Excise Tax Credit. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.

Allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assume historic preservation review of the effect of any proposed project for lands under its jurisdiction except for projects affecting properties listed or nominated for inclusion in the Hawaii register of historic places or the national register of historic places.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT, 1920, AS AMENDED.

Amends the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as amended, to increase the State's liability limit for moneys borrowed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, or loans made to lessees that are guaranteed by the Department, from $100,000,000 to $500,000,000. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT, 1920.

Amends the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as amended, to include sibling's children as qualifying relatives of lessees for the purposes of lease transfer and lease successorship, in the same manner currently allowed for spouses, children, grandchildren, and siblings. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.

Provides an emergency appropriation to the Department of Human Services to replace general fund appropriations redirected to provide emergency food assistance during the 2025 federal government shutdown. Effective 1/30/2050. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.

Short form bill relating to health care.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO SYNDROMIC SURVEILLANCE.

Requires hospitals with emergency departments that are licensed in Hawaii to submit syndromic surveillance data to the Department of Health. Authorizes the Department of Health, as needed, to establish by administrative rules a syndromic surveillance system under state jurisdiction that is independent of federal systems.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO PREVENTIVE MEDICINE.

Establishes the Hawaii Preventive Services Advisory Committee and authorizes the Department of Health to issue preventive service recommendations. Requires health insurance coverage without cost-sharing for Department of Health-recommended clinical preventive services. Provides immunity for healthcare providers' and facilities' provision of recommended clinical preventive services.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SYSTEMS OF CARE.

Modernizes Hawaii's emergency medical services laws to align with current best practices. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

Authorizes the Department of Health to establish a vacation payout pilot program in which eligible Department of Health employees may defer unused vacation leave credits in favor of a pay out to provide home purchase down payment assistance. Requires reports to the Legislature. Sunsets 6/30/2029. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO LEAD MATERIALS IN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.

Amends prohibitions on the use of lead materials in drinking water distribution to align with the Safe Drinking Water Act and related Code of Federal Regulations.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S AUTHORITY TO REGULATE FOOD, DRUGS, AND COSMETICS.

Removes duplicative food-related statutory material and aligns all food-related provisions under chapter 328, HRS. Ensures adequate statutory authority for permits, fees, inspections, and enforcement.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO INDEPENDENT AUDITS OF DEPOSIT BEVERAGE DISTRIBUTORS.

Limits the independent audit requirement to deposit beverage distributors who distribute 2,000,000 or more deposit beverage containers a year. Identifies frequency of obtaining and submitting independent audits based on quantities of deposit beverage containers imported, manufactured, or distributed. Creates minimum requirements for independent audits.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE HEALTH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.

Amends the functions and responsibilities of the State Health Planning and Development Agency. Adds a new definition of "health care" for chapter 323D, HRS. Amends the exemption threshold for bed changes to up to thirty per cent of existing licensed bed types. Exempts the Department of Health from certificate of need requirements. Effective 1/30/2050. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE FIRE COUNCIL.

Replaces the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations with the Department of Law Enforcement as the department responsible for budgeting administrative staffing for the State Fire Council. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE UNIFORM CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT.

Updates the Uniform Controlled Substances Act to make it consistent with amendments in the Federal Controlled Substances Act as required under state law. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO DANGEROUS INTOXICATION.

Establishes the offenses of dangerous intoxication and habitual dangerous intoxication. Provides for civil protective custody and transport for emergency examination under section 334-45, HRS, in lieu of arrest for dangerous intoxication in specified circumstances, and bars prosecution when civil protective custody is used. Requires probation with mandatory treatment for habitual dangerous intoxication, with incarceration only upon probation violation. Makes conforming amendments to chapter 334, HRS.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

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. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Daniel HoltDemocrat

RELATING TO MEDICAID.

Repeals a provision in Act 4, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, that prohibits the Department of Human Services from taking any action to remove pharmaceutical benefits management from managed care plans that provide health care coverage for Hawaii Medicaid beneficiaries. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Tina Nakada GrandinettiDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Prohibits discrimination against a pharmacy or pharmacist with respect to participation, referral, reimbursement of a covered service, or indemnification. Establishes beneficiary cost sharing and deductible requirements for prescription drugs. Establishes minimum rates for which pharmacy benefit managers are to reimburse pharmacies for dispensing prescription drugs. For prescription drug benefit plans executed, amended, adjusted, or renewed on or after 7/1/2027, requires a pharmacy benefit manager to use pass-through pricing, or may alternatively use spread pricing if any savings realized by the pharmacy benefit manager are passed on.

Tina Nakada GrandinettiDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action in the name of the people of the State as parens patriae against any responsible party to recover certain costs or obtain certain relief, including costs and losses incurred by the Hawaii Property Insurance Association, Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund, or other state entities, resulting from climate attributable harm or costs for risk of future climate attributable harm. Authorizes the Hawaii Property Insurance Association and Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund, or any private insurer licensed in the State to bring a civil cause of action against a responsible party to recover its costs and losses resulting from climate attributable harm.

Tina Nakada GrandinettiDemocrat

RELATING TO EVICTION RECORDS.

Limits public access to summary possession records on the Judiciary's publicly accessible electronic databases unless and until a writ of possession is issued.

Tina Nakada GrandinettiDemocrat

RELATING TO PARTIAL PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS.

Increases the matching fund payments to candidates in the partial public financing program for excess qualifying contributions.

Mahina PoepoeDemocrat

RELATING TO MICROENTERPRISE HOME KITCHENS.

Authorizes microenterprise home kitchens to prepare and sell food directly to consumers without food establishment permits or routine inspections, subject to consumer disclosure and basic food safety requirements. Clarifies that microenterprise home kitchens are not food establishments or food processing establishments. Authorizes the Department of Health to conduct investigations on operators and microenterprise home kitchens in response to complaints, foodborne illness outbreaks, and imminent threats to public health. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Mahina PoepoeDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC TRUST RESOURCES.

Establishes a hierarchy of duty for public trust resources to be applicable to the decisions made by the Department of Land and Natural Resources in the management of the State's public natural resources.

Mahina PoepoeDemocrat

RELATING TO ISLAND BURIAL COUNCILS.

Transfers the appointment authority for Island Burial Council members from the Governor and Senate to the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Mahina PoepoeDemocrat

RELATING TO CLEAN WATER.

Preserves, as state law, water quality, permitting, and aquatic resource protections that are at least as protective as federal Clean Water Act regulations and standards in effect as of January 1, 2026, and ensures their continued applicability regardless of subsequent federal amendments, repeals, or reductions.

Mahina PoepoeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM-EDUCATION PROGRAM.

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience and the Department of Health to continue their implementation of the Hawaii Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education Program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Kim Coco IwamotoDemocrat

PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE X OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION.

Proposes a constitutional amendment to decentralize the public education system in the State by establishing county school districts for the establishment, operation, and funding of public schools, and to authorize the boards of those school districts to initiate and carry on any programs, activities, or otherwise act in any manner that is not in conflict with any law.

Kim Coco IwamotoDemocrat

RELATING TO THE MILITARY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for the Military and Community Relations Office to strengthen intergovernmental coordination for military and defense activities. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Clarifies state and local authority during a state or local state of emergency. Adds a definition of "severe weather warning". Allows the Legislature to terminate a state of emergency and city councils to terminate a local state of emergency. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.

Allows the Department of Human Services to administer and provide public assistance to eligible residents of the State during a Governor-declared state of emergency. Allows the Department of Human Services to expend funds from the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund.

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS.

Establishes a comprehensive system of public financing for all candidates seeking election to state and county public offices in Hawaii, to begin with the 2028 general election year. Requires the Campaign Spending Commission to submit reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATIONS.

Requires board members of a condominium association to complete a board training and education course approved by an accredited third party organization, to be selected by the Real Estate Commission and paid for through funds in the Condominium Education Trust Fund.

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

MAKING APPROPRIATIONS TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE LEGISLATURE, THE AUDITOR, THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU, THE OMBUDSMAN, AND THE ETHICS COMMISSION.

Appropriates funds to provide for the expenses of the Legislature, Auditor, Legislative Reference Bureau, Ombudsman, and Ethics Commission. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat