Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO CANNABIS.

Establishes the Hawaii Cannabis and Hemp Office within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to regulate all aspects of the cannabis plant. Beginning 1/1/2026, legalizes the personal adult use of cannabis. Establishes taxes on the retail sale of adult-use cannabis and the sale of medical cannabis. Adds new traffic offenses relating to the consumption or possession of marijuana or marijuana concentrate. Makes conforming amendments related to the legalization of personal adult use of cannabis. Beginning 1/1/2026, decriminalizes certain drug offenses related to marijuana and marijuana concentrate. Transfers the personnel and assets of the Department of Health and assets of the Department of Agriculture relating to cannabis to the Hawaii Cannabis and Hemp Office. Establishes various positions within state entities to regulate the personal adult use of cannabis. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS.

Allows a party aggrieved by the judgment of a circuit court on a minimum term order to appeal to the Intermediate Appellate Court. Requires prisoners to be represented by counsel in any petition challenging the minimum term proceedings. Requires the Supreme Court to establish rules. Establishes grounds for challenging a minimum term order. Appropriates funds. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD1)

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO A VAPING STORE REGISTRY.

Requires, beginning 1/1/2026, vaping stores to register with the Department of Health and be subject to inspections for compliance with federal and state laws.

Shirley Ann TemploDemocrat

RELATING TO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.

Requires each public school to develop a disaster and attack preparedness plan by 1/1/2026 that includes shelter-in-place drills. Requires each school to maintain emergency goods sufficient for at least 48 hours in its facilities.

WARD

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.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT.

Allows a retirant to be employed without reenrollment in the Employees' Retirement System and without loss or interruption of retirement benefits if the retirant is employed as an investigator in a position identified by the Department of the Attorney General or the Department of Law Enforcement as a labor shortage or difficult—to-fill position, subject to certain conditions. Requires the director of human resources of the appropriate state jurisdiction or the human resources management chief executive of each county to include in their annual reports to the Legislature, details on the employment of retirants as investigators.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE WAGE AND HOUR LAW.

Authorizes the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to issue an order of wage payment violation to the employer found to be in violation of wage and hour provisions. Establishes penalties, enforcement, and appeal procedures. Amends the definition of "wage" to include compensation for labor or services rendered by an employee, whether the amount is determined on a time, task, piece, commission, or other basis of calculation.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HAWAII RETIREMENT SAVINGS ACT.

Clarifies the definition of "covered employer" under the Hawaii Retirement Savings Act. Requires covered employers to automatically enroll covered employees into the Hawaii Retirement Savings Program unless the covered employee chooses to opt out. Effective upon approval.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO OCEAN USER SAFETY.

Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural Resources to issue emergency rules which may be in effect for up to 365 days for the regulation of commercial and recreational use of water sports equipment to promote ocean user safety. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP FEES.

Establishes within the Department of Land and Natural Resources the environmental stewardship fee program to collect a fee from visitors through an environmental stewardship license and allocate the revenue to protect, restore, and manage natural and cultural resources through grants to nonprofit organizations. Establishes the environmental stewardship fee special fund. Establishes the Environmental Stewardship Commission to make recommendations to the Board of Land and Natural Resources regarding the use of revenues in the special fund. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to conduct rulemaking. Requires a report to the legislature, including an environmental stewardship fee strategic plan. Creates civil or administrative penalties to be imposed after July 1, 2030. Appropriates funds.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS ON DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES LANDS.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the removal of homeless encampments on state lands under the Department's control. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO UPDATING PUBLIC LAND LEASES ISSUED PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 171, HAWAII REVISED STATUTES.

Requires that lease extensions approved by the Board of Land and Natural Resources be drafted on forms that reflect contemporary leasing practices and policies of the Board, and which shall control over conflicting or inconsistent provisions in the lease being extended. Takes effect 7/1/2040. (SD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE WATER CODE PENALTIES.

Adds a minimum penalty and amends the maximum penalty per violation of the State Water Code, expands the types of potential violations of the State Water Code, and makes each day that a violation exists or continues to exist a separate offense. Requires the Commission on Water Resource Management to consider certain factors when imposing penalties.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO A STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION INCOME TAX CREDIT.

Reestablishes the Historic Preservation Income Tax Credit. Establishes a cap of the tax credit for each taxable year from 2025 to 2030. Sunsets 12/31/2030. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT IN THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM.

Allows the Department of Land and Natural Resources to employ non-civil service professional and technical staff in its State Historic Preservation Program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO CONFORMITY TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.

Conforms Hawaii income and estate and generation-skipping transfer tax laws to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended as of December 31, 2024. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT.

Clarifies that nonresidents who claim the state refundable earned income tax credit are required to adjust the amount claimed using the ratio of their Hawaii adjusted gross income to federal adjusted gross income. Eliminates the unlimited carryforward on nonrefundable earned income tax credits claimed for tax year 2022. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO TAX APPEALS.

Clarifies that a notice of appeal relating to an appeal of a county tax is not required to be served on the Director of Taxation.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX EXEMPTIONS.

Repeals the general excise tax exemption for amounts received by independent sugar cane farmers. Repeals the general excise tax exemption for amounts received by contractors of the Patient-Centered Community Care program that is established by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to title 38 United States Code section 8153. Effective 1/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO TAX COLLECTIONS.

Suspends the statute of limitations on collections of income tax, general excise tax, transient accommodations tax, use tax, fuel tax, conveyance tax, and rental motor vehicle, tour vehicle, and car-sharing vehicle surcharge tax during the period an assessment is pending on appeal before the taxation board of review or tax appeal court. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING.

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024, (1) repeals the maximum tax rate that may be considered in determining the amount of income tax that must be withheld and the requirement that a standard deduction allowance be treated as if it was denominated as a withholding exemption, and (2) for the purpose of income tax withholding, permits the Director of Taxation to prescribe a standard deduction allowance in an amount more or less than one whole exemption.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO CENTRAL SERVICES ASSESSMENT.

Amends the transfer of funds for central service expenses from the State Highway Fund, Airport Revenue Fund, and Harbor Special Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Prohibits all governmental bodies and public employees from procuring services for project management through non-governmental third-party contracts, except for certain procurements of independent verification and validation contracts for information technology services. Temporarily authorizes, until 6/30/2027, outside contractors who prepared specifications and work statements in the development of a Department of Transportation solicitation to bid on those projects if certain requirements are satisfied. Requires a report by the Department of Transportation. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

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 FIREFIGHTING AT COMMERCIAL HARBORS.

Limits civil liability of individuals who render firefighting services with a firefighting vessel at any of the State's commercial harbors or roadsteads, any commercial harbor or waterfront improvement belonging to or controlled by the State, or any vessel within a commercial harbor or roadstead to only damages resulting from an individual's gross negligence or wanton acts or omissions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO PUPIL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY.

Amends sections 286-102 and 286-181, HRS, to allow exemptions to include use of motorcoaches, small buses, and vans, which may not meet school bus regulations for school bus services, but which shall otherwise meet vehicle requirements and qualifications set forth in chapter 19-143, Hawaii Administrative Rules, to the extent required by the Department of Transportation and the Department of Education, when adult staff chaperone escorts of students are provided while students are being transported between designated locations off-campus and designated locations on-campus.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Beginning 7/1/2028, authorizes a county to impose a mileage-based road usage charge on electric vehicles. Provides and requires a county to establish the rate of the road usage charge. Repeals the requirement for the Department of Transportation to establish county subaccounts within the State Highway Fund. Clarifies the disposition of funds for state mileage-based road usage charge. Clarifies the rate and calculation of the state mileage-based road usage charge. Specifies that rental motor vehicle companies may visibly pass the costs of the mileage-based road usage charges to the consumer. Expands allowable uses of the State Highway and Highway Funds. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HIGHWAY REVENUE BONDS.

Restores the revenue bond authorization for the Department of Transportation to issue Highway Revenue Bonds for highway capital improvement projects authorized in Act 164, SLH 2023, as amended by Act 230, SLH 2024. Takes effect 1/1/3000. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HIGHWAYS.

Authorizes the counties to sell or dispose of property bordering the ocean when the Department of Transportation requests the acquisition of the property for state highway purposes. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT SYSTEMS PROGRAM.

Appropriates funds out of the State Highway Fund for deposit into the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund and appropriates funds out of the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund for fiscal year 2026-2027. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

Makes an emergency appropriation out of the State Highway Fund to provide funds for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the Department of Transportation to enforce the Motor Carrier Law. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO DEPARTMENTAL DATA SHARING.

Adds the Department of Taxation to the list of state agencies sharing data through the statewide longitudinal data system. Allows the Department of Taxation to provide the University of Hawaii and other state agencies certain wage data. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE PROCEDURE FOR PAYMENT UNDER PROTEST LAWSUITS.

Allows for the interest earned on payments under protest in the litigated claims fund to be paid in nontaxation cases if the claimant prevails. Establishes a procedure for the disposition of moneys and refiling of actions when a payment under protest suit is filed prematurely. (SD1)

Kyle T. YamashitaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

Establishes the Hawaii Economic Diversification Grant Program under the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to provide grants to qualified high technology businesses engaging in qualified research activities. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Scot Z. MatayoshiDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Requires the Department of Transportation to establish and implement a five-year Interisland Transportation Fee Reimbursement Pilot Program, to be funded by revenues received from the rental motor vehicle surcharge. Extends the increase of the rental motor vehicle surcharge by $0.50 each year from 12/31/2027 to 12/31/2031. Appropriates funds.

Tyson K. MiyakeDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires the Department of Education to establish a cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator training program for public school students in grades six through twelve as part of existing health or physical education curriculum. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires the establishment of a cardiac emergency response plan in all public elementary, middle, intermediate, and high schools in the State.

Tyson K. MiyakeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE LANDLORD TENANT CODE.

Authorizes a landlord to petition a district court for a temporary restraining order, permanent restraining order, or injunction to compel a tenant's compliance with section 521-51, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Tyson K. MiyakeDemocrat

RELATING TO COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT.

Excludes from the definition of "development" used for purposes of coastal zone management the reconstruction of certain structures that were damaged or destroyed in a disaster proclaimed to be a state of emergency or local state of emergency, under certain conditions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Tyson K. MiyakeDemocrat

RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.

Grants the Public Utilities Commission the ability to authorize preferential rates for the purchase of renewable energy from facilities that meet certain prevailing wage requirements. Requires public utilities to forward certain requests for preferential rates to the PUC for approval. Appropriates funds. Effective 07/01/3000. (HD1)

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO ALLOWANCE ON SERVICE RETIREMENTS.

Includes certain law enforcement administrators and employees of the Department of Law Enforcement as class A members of the pension and retirement systems and provides guidance for the computation of retirement benefits similar to police officers. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO CONTROLLED-ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE.

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriates funds for the development of a controlled-environment agriculture research and demonstration facility at the Magoon research and teaching site in Manoa, Oahu. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Matthias KuschDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Establishes a Plant-based Building Materials Working Group to study and report on how best to grow plants and develop plant-based building materials in Hawaii. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Matthias KuschDemocrat

RELATING TO BED BUGS.

Prohibits landlords, including those operating in public housing and educational dorm settings, from renting a dwelling unit that the landlord knows has a current bed bug infestation. Establishes procedures that landlords shall take upon receiving notice of an actual or suspected bed bug infestation.

KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Phases in a ban on state departments and administratively attached agencies from purchasing lei that contain plant material grown and harvested outside the State. (SD1)

KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY

RELATING TO TEACHER WORKFORCE HOUSING.

Establishes a Teacher Workforce Housing Stipend Program to support teacher retention at public and charter schools classified as hard-to-staff. Requires reports to the Legislature. Amends the purpose and uses of the Teachers' Housing Revolving Fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY

RELATED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Requires law enforcement to post notice that a warranted or warrantless search has been conducted on a property. Requires a law enforcement officer to secure any entrance used by an officer in the search.

Kim Coco IwamotoDemocrat

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.

Repeals the authority for campaign funds to carry over to subsequent elections. Requires, at the latest, for campaign funds not expended to escheat to the State after a certain period. Requires the Campaign Spending Commission to make reasonable efforts to return escheated funds to contributors with any remaining balance to fund partially publicly financed campaigns.

Kim Coco IwamotoDemocrat