Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO CERTIFIED CAREGIVERS.

Lowers the minimum age that a certified caregiver for an adult foster home must be from twenty-one to eighteen.

Henry J.C. AquinoDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII BROADBAND AND DIGITAL EQUITY OFFICE.

Transfers the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to the Office of Enterprise Technology Services in the Department of Accounting and General Services. Establishes the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Special Fund. Appropriates funds.

Henry J.C. AquinoDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Clarifies that the bid incentive given to bidders for public works construction projects who are parties to an apprenticeship agreement is based on apprenticeable trades utilized, rather than employed, to construct the public works. Requires the bidder and the bidder's subcontractors to be parties to all apprenticeable trades utilized to construct the project for which a state-approved apprenticeship program exists. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Henry J.C. AquinoDemocrat

RELATING TO THE RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD-TENANT CODE.

Restricts how much and how often a landlord may increase rent over the course of a twelve month period.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

Requires the Department of Human Services to adjust the minimum certification periods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits households, participate in the Elderly Simplified Application Project, and report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services to improve Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program rates, including establishing additional positions.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO IRRIGATION.

Authorizes the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds and appropriates funds to finance capital improvement projects for irrigation systems. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO PAID FAMILY LEAVE.

By 1/1/2027, requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish a family and medical leave insurance program and begin collecting payroll contributions to finance payment of benefits. By 1/1/2028, requires the Department to start receiving claims and paying benefits under the program. Specifies eligibility requirements and employee protections under the program.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO A CHILD TAX CREDIT.

Establishes a refundable child tax credit. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Allows captive insurance companies that are not risk retention captive insurance companies to apply to the Insurance Commissioner for certificates of exemption from examination after meeting certain requirements. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO PARKINSON'S DISEASE RESEARCH.

Establishes the Parkinson's Disease Research Collection Database to be administered by the Department of Health, to house a collection of data on the incidence of Parkinson's disease in the State. Establishes the Parkinson's Disease Research Collection Database Advisory Committee. Requires the Department to create a Parkinson's disease research collection database webpage by 1/1/2026, and submit annual reports to the Legislature.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Reduces the offense of purchasing, possessing, setting off, igniting, or discharging aerial devices, display fireworks, or articles pyrotechnic under a weight of twenty-five pounds without a valid permit to a civil violation.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Requires certain managing agents to notify each unit owner and the Real Estate Commission when a condominium association that the agent manages fails to meet budget and replacement reserves reporting requirements. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO BROADBAND SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE.

Transfers the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to the Department of Accounting and General Services. Transfers the broadband duties of the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office. Creates a Hawaii Broadband Infrastructure Special Fund. Disbands the Hawaii Broadband Assistance Advisory Council. Requires the Information Technology Steering Committee to oversee and manage public advanced communications technology infrastructure. Appropriates moneys.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Requires the Department of Health to develop a service availability form to be completed by covered entities to convey to patients and the public certain health care services unavailable at the entity before 12/1/2026, and to publish and maintain on its website a list of covered entities and the service availability form submitted by each covered entity before 02/1/2027. Requires the Department of Health to adopt rules, including a process for receiving and investigating complaints and assessing fines against covered entities in violation. Requires each covered entity to submit a completed service availability form to the Department of Health, adopt certain relevant policies by 2/1/2027, provide patients with their current service availability form as part of the informed consent process before initiating a health care service, and maintain a record of the patient's receipt of the form beginning 2/1/2027. Establishes penalties.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

Authorizes the Department of Health to adopt, by rule, any federal regulations as they existed on 1/1/2025, relating to the protection, preservation, care, and improvement of the physical and mental health of the people of the State that it deems to be in the public interest.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PRIVACY.

Adds a definition for "specified data element" and expands the definition of "personal information". Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSUMER DATA PROTECTION.

Establishes a framework to regulate controllers and processors with access to personal consumer data. Establishes penalties. Establishes the Consumer Privacy Special Fund to be administered by the Department of the Attorney General. Appropriates funds.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Establishes an excise tax on certain taxpayers who own excess single-family residences for failure to sell those residences. Establishes and allocates excise tax revenues to the Housing Downpayment Trust Fund. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO ADVISORY REFERENDUMS.

Authorizes the Legislature to adopt any Concurrent Resolution to propose a non-binding advisory referendum question concerning the issuance of general obligation bonds to the people, who may vote on the question during any general election. Imposes notice, certification, and reporting requirements on the Chief Election Officer. Requires a written explanation for any legislative acts that are contrary to the reported majority vote on the advisory referendum question to be reflected in the legislative record. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO FOOD DYES.

Prohibits certain food dye additives from being served in school meals of the Department of Education and charter schools.

Samantha DeCorteRepublican

RELATING TO SCHOOLS.

Requires the Department of Education to establish a food waste composting pilot project at Nanakuli High and Intermediate School. Appropriates moneys.

Samantha DeCorteRepublican

RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY'S ‘OLELO HAWAI‘I INITIATIVES.

Appropriates funds to support the Olelo Hawaii Initiatives. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Specifies that election ballots issued by the Chief Election Officer or county clerk shall exclude any candidate who is disqualified by a constitutional or statutory provision. Provides for a process for challenging an inclusion or exclusion of a candidate from a ballot. Includes a candidate's disqualification as grounds for an election contest complaint. Specifies that electors of presidential and vice presidential candidates shall not be individuals who are disqualified by a constitutional or statutory provision.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO YOUTH AND ADULT CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.

Requires the State's youth and adult correctional facilities to provide free and accessible voice communication services for incarcerated persons in state correctional facilities. Prohibits any state agency from deriving revenue or financial benefit from the provision of communication services to persons confined in state correctional facilities. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish service quality standards and rules for the free voice communication services. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO COVERED OFFENDER REGISTRATION.

Amends covered offender registration laws to include offenders who, while acting in a professional capacity, commit the offense of sexual assault in the fourth degree against a minor who is at least sixteen years old. Provides that the exception to public access requirements does not apply when the covered offense was committed against a minor.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO SUPPORTED DECISION-MAKING AGREEMENTS.

Allows qualified adults, including adults with a disability, mentally ill adults, and adults sixty-five years of age or older, to enter into supported decision-making agreements with one or members of a supportive community. Specifies the terms of a supported decision-making agreement, including access to personal information and agreement requirements.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies to collaborate with the federal government for immigration purposes except for in limited, specific circumstances.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

Establishes the Office of Gun Violence Prevention to conduct community outreach on gun violence prevention, develop and administer a grant program for gun violence prevention, and develop and administer a gun violence resource bank. Establishes the Gun Violence Prevention Special Fund and appropriates funds into and out of the special fund. Appropriates funds.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE LICENSED CARE FACILITIES.

Requires the Department of Health to post on its website an easily understandable, searchable, and sortable list of all state-licensed care facilities including information on their licenses and inspections. Requires that the list be updated within five days of any change in its information.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO SENTENCING.

Prohibits emerging adult defendants from being sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO SCHOOL CAFETERIA MEAL COSTS.

Reduces the amount the Department of Education is authorized to charge for school meals to all students enrolled in department schools to no more than one-quarter of the cost of preparing the meals. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Michelle N. KidaniDemocrat

RELATING TO MEDIA LITERACY.

Authorizes school complexes to incorporate media literacy in their standards-based curriculum, including content that prevents negative impacts of misinformation, disinformation, digital discrimination, and online hate speech.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE COCONUT RHINOCEROS BEETLE PROGRAM.

Establishes short-term management initiatives for the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response Program. Establishes standards for the usage of grants awarded pursuant to the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response Program. Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii for activities and positions related to coconut rhinoceros beetle infestation control. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Appropriates funds to establish grant specialist positions within the Department of Agriculture. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

Beginning 1/1/2028, prohibits the manufacture, sale, offer for sale, distribution for sale, and distribution for use of any food packaging, food service ware, cosmetic, or personal care product that contains intentionally added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, with certain exceptions. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Requires the Board of Education to adopt administrative rules to ban the usage of cell phones at Department of Education schools.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION OF POLLUTION.

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 taxpayers. Reenacts the agricultural development and food security special fund. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO SAFE DRINKING WATER.

Prohibits any state or county law, rule, ordinance, or regulation from requiring the addition of any substance, product, or chemical for preventative health care or medical purposes, that is unrelated to chemicals necessary for protection against contamination of drinking water, to any public water system. Establishes quality control and public safety requirements if the Safe Drinking Water Act is amended to authorize a federal regulation to allow every state to use the drinking water system to dispense chemicals or medication for treating the physical or mental function of a person's body.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.

Repeals biomass from the renewable portfolio standard definition of "renewable energy".

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO SINGLE-USE PLASTICS.

Prohibits lodging establishments in the State from providing personal care products packaged in small plastic containers in any sleeping room accommodations, space within sleeping room accommodations, and bathrooms used by the public or guests. Establishes civil penalties.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO ORGANIC WASTE.

Establishes statewide goals for solid waste reduction and organic waste diversion. Requires each county to incorporate into its next integrated solid waste management plan revision a plan to divert certain organic waste generated within the county in alignment with established state benchmarks. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO HURRICANE SHELTERS.

Appropriates funds for the Office of the Governor, in collaboration with the Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, to strengthen existing hurricane shelters and develop new hurricane shelters to withstand category five hurricanes.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO CESSPOOLS.

Establishes within the Department of Health's Wastewater Branch a Cesspool Conversion Section, which shall be responsible for facilitating the conversion of cesspools within the State. Establishes and appropriates funds for positions within the Cesspool Conversion Section. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

Requires the Department of Health to conduct a statewide needs assessment to determine what will be needed to reduce waste generation, increase reuse, improve recycling collection services, and expand local processing of materials through an extended producer responsibility program for packaging materials and paper products. Requires the Department of Health to complete and submit the needs assessment to the Legislature no later than 12/31/2028. Establishes an advisory council to review the draft needs assessment and propose recommendations throughout the assessment process. Appropriates funds. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEMS.

Beginning 1/1/2026, prohibits the issuance of building permits for new single-family dwellings that are part of a development of twenty or more dwellings and do not include a rooftop photovoltaic energy generating system, unless a variance is granted by the Hawaii State Energy Office. Authorizes the Hawaii State Energy Office to adopt administrative rules.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

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 THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

Exempts from the electronic procurement system the Department of Education's purchase of fresh local agricultural products and local value-added processed, agricultural, or food products not exceeding a certain amount, subject to certain requirements. Requires the Department of Education to establish guidelines for determining a geographic preference for locally sourced products. Exempts the Department of Education from the requirement that certain agricultural products are subject to the Hawaii Public Procurement Code. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

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 THE HAWAII ANT LAB.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture to support the Hawaii Ant Lab in mitigating the effects of little fire ants in the State. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO LAND LEASES.

Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to repeal, revoke, or buy out the remainder of the lease of the real property under the Prince Kuhio Plaza, in Hilo, Hawaii, and resell that lease at fair market value to a new entity that agrees to properly maintain the plaza.

Kurt FevellaRepublican