Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.

Clarifies that a physician may practice at an organized ambulatory health care facility even if the physician does not have hospital privileges at a licensed hospital in the same geographic location as the ambulatory facility. Applies to counties with populations of less than five hundred thousand. Requires the Department of Health to report to the Legislature. Sunsets 6/30/2028. (CD1)

Kyle T. YamashitaDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSERVATION ENFORCEMENT.

Appropriates funds for equipment for the Oahu Branch of the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. (CD1)

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO BEACH MANAGEMENT ON THE NORTH SHORE OF OAHU.

Extends the deadline for the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program to submit the North Shore Beach Management Plan to the Governor and Legislature. Extends the appropriation lapse date to 6/30/2026. (CD1)

Sean QuinlanDemocrat

RELATING TO POSITIONS AT THE JOHN A. BURNS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine for faculty positions in the fields of cardiovascular biology, tropical medicine, and quantitative health biostatistics, and an environmental health and safety officer staff position. (CD1)

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

Authorizes the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to request the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to furnish a list of five qualified and experienced interest arbitrators in the event the parties fail to select the neutral third member of the arbitration panel. Clarifies that the list of five interest arbitrators may contain arbitrators from both the American Arbitration Association and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. (CD1)

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

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. Establishes an advisory council to review the draft needs assessment and propose recommendations throughout the assessment process. Requires the Department of Health to hold a public hearing on the draft needs assessment and complete and submit the needs assessment to the Legislature by 12/31/2027. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Nicole E. LowenDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Provides that in any county with a population of less than 250,000, fee simple absolute title of a privately owned highway, road, alley, street, way, lane, bikeway, bridge, or trail is deemed transferred to adjacent property owners or the community association if certain conditions are met. Effective 7/1/2027. Sunsets 7/1/2032. (CD1)

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Appropriates funds for the University of Hawaii, West Oahu for the pre-nursing pathway program. (CD1)

Andrew Takuya GarrettDemocrat

RELATING TO FAMILY COURTS.

Establishes a minimum age of twelve for adjudication for any alleged or attempted violation of law. (HD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO LICENSE PLATES.

Increases the decal size restrictions for special number plates. (CD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Requires the Department of Transportation or appropriate county to scan any cat or dog carcass found on a state or county roadway for a microchip, record certain information, report that information to the appropriate county animal services or animal service contractors, and make reasonable efforts to contact the registered owner. Authorizes the Department of Transportation and each county to coordinate with each other to share scanner resources or protocols. (CD1)

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS.

Provides that a survey of the land to be set aside shall not be a condition precedent to the setting aside of public lands to any department or agency of the State. (CD1)

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Beginning 1/1/2026, amends the notice period for a property insurer to notify a policyholder of a cancellation, including cancellation due to nonpayment, or nonrenewal of a policy of property insurance. (CD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO SENTENCING OF MINOR DEFENDANTS.

Requires courts to consider certain factors when sentencing a person convicted as an adult for an offense that the person committed when the person was a minor. Allows courts to reduce a mandatory minimum period of incarceration or depart from a mandatory sentencing enhancement if the court determines that the reduction or departure is warranted given certain factors. (HD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY.

Authorizes the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to sell, donate, or otherwise dispose of property abandoned or seized in federal public housing projects. Requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to notify the known owner of the abandoned or seized property. Establishes procedures for persons entitled to the abandoned or seized property. (CD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO VETERANS CEMETERIES.

Establishes the Veterans Cemeteries Board within the Office of Veterans' Services of the Department of Defense to provide veterans cemeteries in the State with guidance, education, technical assistance, and other support to ensure compliance with standards set by the National Cemetery Administration of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (CD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEFENSE OF STATE EMPLOYEES.

Requires the Attorney General, on behalf of the State, to defend professionally licensed or certified state employees from civil actions or proceedings, under certain circumstances. Clarifies that the employee may employ their own attorney at the employee's own expense. Establishes a process for the Attorney General to transfer or withdraw representation if the Attorney General declines to defend the employee. (CD1)

AQUINO

RELATING TO HIGHWAY SAFETY.

Requires all skateboard users under the age of eighteen to wear a helmet while operating a skateboard on public property. (CD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE UNIFORM CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ACT.

Updates chapter 329, HRS, to make it consistent with amendments in the Federal Controlled Substances Act as required under section 329-11, HRS. (CD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO SHORELINE MANAGEMENT AREAS.

Increases the valuation of development that determines the necessity of a special management area minor permit to $750,000, under certain conditions, and a special management area use permit to $750,000, with both $750,000 valuation thresholds to be adjusted every five years for inflation. (CD1)

Luke A. EvslinDemocrat

RELATING TO TORTURE.

Defines and prohibits the offense of torture. Makes torture a class A felony. (CD1)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO CRIMES AGAINST PROTECTIVE SERVICES WORKERS.

Specifies that intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to a protective services worker who is engaged in the performance of the worker's duties constitutes the class C felony offense of assault in the second degree. Clarifies that a protective services worker is a public servant for the purposes of terroristic threatening in the first degree. (CD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

Authorizes school staff and agents trained by a health care professional to volunteer to administer medication to students at Department of Education public schools under certain conditions. Clarifies who may prescribe medication to be administered to students in schools. (CD1)

Michelle N. KidaniDemocrat

RELATING TO SURFING.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Education to support the establishment of surfing as an interscholastic sport. (CD1)

Sean QuinlanDemocrat

RELATING TO SEWER TRANSMISSION LINES.

Requires a county to accept, within 60 days after receipt of a completed application for maintenance request, license or dedication of sewer transmission lines and related sewerage facilities servicing Hawaiian Home Lands that are brought into compliance by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. (CD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE DRIVERS LICENSE REVOCATION.

Extends the deadline in which the Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office is required to issue a written review decision of a notice of administrative revocation of a person's license to operate a vehicle. (CD1)

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROCUREMENT.

Exempts Department of Education purchases of local edible produce and packaged food products less than $250,000 from the electronic procurement system requirement. Requires at least three written quotes for Department of Education purchases of local edible produce and packaged food products of less than $250,000. Sunsets 6/30/2028. (CD1)

Kirstin KahaloaDemocrat

RELATING TO LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.

Modifies certain benchmark goals and timeline for the Department of Education to provide locally-sourced agricultural and food products. (SD2)

Kirstin KahaloaDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Prohibits drug manufacturers from denying, restricting, or prohibiting the acquisition, shipping, or delivery of a 340B drug to pharmacies contracted with 340B covered entities under the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program. Authorizes 340B covered entities and the Attorney General to bring a civil action for enforcement within four years of a violation. Beginning 7/1/2026, requires each 340B covered entity in the State to report certain information annually to the hospital trade association operating in the State and requires the hospital trade association to prepare and publicly post an aggregate report of reports submitted by each 340B covered entity. (CD1)

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Establishes a two-year Librarian Pilot Program to serve one school complex on Oahu and one school complex on an island other than Oahu. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Jenna TakenouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO SENTENCING.

Prohibits sentencing persons who were under the age of twenty-one at the time of the offense to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. (CD1)

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH.

Designates September as Hawaiian History Month. (CD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.

Requires board packets to be posted at least three full business days before a public meeting. Requires boards to provide notice to persons who have requested notification of meetings at the time the board packet is made available for public inspection. (CD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO COVERED OFFENDER REGISTRATION.

Amends covered offender registration laws by expanding the definition of "sexual offense" to include additional sexual offenses from the Penal Code. Provides that the exception to covered offender registry public access requirements for a first-time misdemeanor offense does not apply when the covered offense was committed against a minor. Clarifies that a person who is required to report their location of residence in person every year under the covered offender registration requirements shall report during the thirty-day period following the offender's birthday, rather than from the offender's actual date of birth. Specifies how certain covered offenses are to be tiered for purposes of seeking termination of registration requirements. (CD1)

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Authorizes county police officers to enforce the Statewide Traffic Code on all public streets, roadways, or highways within the State. (CD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION.

Amends the required contents of legislative reports to be submitted by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Amends the scope of moneys to be deposited into and the allowable uses of moneys expended from the Public Housing Special Fund. (CD1)

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Requires utilization review entities to submit data relating to the prior authorization of health care services to the State Health Planning and Development Agency. Establishes the Health Care Appropriateness and Necessity Working Group within the State Health Planning and Development Agency and requires the working group to submit annual reports to the Legislature. (CD1)

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Allows a pathway for foreign medical school graduates to be licensed as physicians that was previously only available to graduates who passed the qualifying examination of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates before 1984. Establishes an alternative pathway for the licensure as physicians for foreign medical graduates who passed certain examinations, possess an Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates certificate, and have completed two years of post-graduate medical training. (SD1)

Mike LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Specifies that the practice of election fraud intimidation includes carrying any unconcealed firearm or dangerous instrument at or within two hundred feet of a voter service center, place of deposit, or polling place. (CD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture for a Non-Potable Water Wells Pilot Program to prepare an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment to drill non-potable water wells on individual parcels at Panaewa Agricultural Park and Panaewa farm lots, under the Department of Agriculture. (CD1)

Chris ToddDemocrat

RELATING TO CHILD PERFORMERS.

Establishes that for a minor in theatrical employment with a gross income of at least $5,000 on a project or $20,000 in a calendar year: a parent or legal guardian of the minor is required to establish a trust account for the minor with an independent third-party trustee; and the employer of the minor is required to deposit a portion of the minor's earnings into the trust account until the minor becomes an adult. Makes misappropriation or fraudulent use of funds within the trust account a breach of fiduciary duty subject to penalties. (CD1)

Mike LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE KEAUHOU AQUIFER SYSTEM.

Establishes the Keauhou Aquifer System Monitoring Pilot Project. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to determine whether to continue, expand, or end the Pilot Project. Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the Pilot Project. Requires reports to the Legislature. (CD1)

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO RENEWABLE GAS TARIFF.

Requires gas utility companies to submit proposed renewable gas tariffs to the Public Utilities Commission by 8/31/2025. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a renewable gas tariff within nine months of receiving a completed application for a proposed renewable gas tariff. (CD1)

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO CESSPOOL CONVERSIONS.

Appropriates funds to establish a position within the Department of Health to assist with the upgrade and conversion of cesspools and perform any other related responsibilities as designated by the Wastewater Branch of the Department of Health. (CD1)

Lisa KitagawaDemocrat

RELATING TO VESSELS IN STATE COMMERCIAL HARBORS.

Clarifies that the requirements for the securing of mooring lines in state commercial harbors shall not apply to fishing vessels, government-owned or government-sponsored vessels, tour boats, and training vessels. (HD2)

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE FOOD HUB PILOT PROGRAM.

Appropriates funds for the continued implementation of the Food Hub Pilot Program, including the awarding of grant moneys to qualifying food hubs. (CD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO A RATE STUDY FOR HOME HEALTH SERVICES.

Appropriates funds for the Department of Human Services to conduct a rate study for Medicaid home health services in Hawaii. (CD1)

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat