Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO LIQUOR LICENSES.

Increases the limits on volumes of liquor and other alcoholic beverages that may be manufactured by class 18 small craft producer pub license holders. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Kyle T. YamashitaDemocrat

RELATING TO WATER RESOURCES.

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriates funds to the Honolulu Board of Water Supply for the planning, design, and construction of up to six monitoring wells. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Rachele LamosaoDemocrat

RELATING TO INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL.

Authorizes the Hawaiian Homes Commission to retain independent legal counsel, with any legal fees owed to be paid by the State, and also use the services of the Attorney General as needed. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Mahina PoepoeDemocrat

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 INSTALLMENT LOANS.

Replaces the term "consumer loan" with the defined term "installment loan" for consistency throughout the installment loan chapter. Clarifies who is subject to the installment loan chapter. Requires loan maintenance fees to be prorated daily. Allows lenders to charge a convenience fee of up to $5 for debit card payments. Requires paper receipts only for in-person or cash payments and removes consumer names from receipts. Repeals the requirement for lenders to wait three days after a consumer fully repays a loan before issuing a new installment loan. Sunsets 6/30/2028. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO INTEREST ON INSURANCE PROCEEDS RELATED TO A MORTGAGE LOAN.

Requires Hawaii financial institutions, during a declared state of emergency, and mortgage servicers to determine whether insurance proceeds are to be applied to a mortgage or be placed into an interest-bearing escrow account. Prohibits charging a fee for the maintenance or disbursement of the interest earned from the interest-bearing escrow account. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND BASE COMPOSITE MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION.

Effective 1/1/2026, increases the employer base composite monthly contribution to the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund by 5.2 percent of the 2025 employer base composite monthly contribution. Effective 1/1/2027, requires the calculation of employer base composite monthly contribution based on the change in Medicare Part B premiums from 2025 to 2026 and at two-year increments thereafter. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX REDUCTIONS.

Reduces the general excise tax rate on the gross proceeds or gross income from the sale of groceries that are eligible under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), regardless of the means of purchase and the program eligibility of the purchaser. Reduces the general excise tax rate on the gross proceeds or income from the sale of nonprescription drugs. Requires DBEDT to conduct an economic cost-benefit analysis on the general excise tax reductions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Greggor IlaganDemocrat

RELATING TO BUILDING CODES.

Beginning on the date the International Code Council 2024 suite of published codes is adopted as the Hawaii state building code, makes the most recent Hawaii state building codes adopted by the state building code council supersede all existing county building codes and thereafter allows counties to amend the Hawaii state building code as it applies within their jurisdiction. Repeals the counties' authority to adopt, amend, and update the Hawaii state building codes for their respective county building codes. Effective 1/1/3000. (HD1)

Luke A. EvslinDemocrat

RELATING TO THE ARTS.

Establishes a Performing Arts Special Fund to be used for the coordination, planning, promotion, marketing, and execution of performing arts events and to be funded by a percentage of all ticket sales from concerts held at state venues. Establishes exemptions. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Jeanne KapelaDemocrat

RELATING TO FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY.

Requires the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to develop a model that assesses the fiscal impacts of land use development projects and regional infrastructure investments. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Luke A. EvslinDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.

Requires the Hawaii Community Development Authority to prepare environmental impact statements for the Iwilei/Kapalama and University of Hawaii West Oahu transit-oriented development infrastructure improvement districts on the island of Oahu. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Luke A. EvslinDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriate funds for the Agribusiness Development Corporation to purchase a land parcel in Kau on the county of Hawaii for agricultural development. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Jeanne KapelaDemocrat

RELATING TO STUDENT TRANSPORTATION.

Establishes and appropriates funds for student transportation coordinators positions within the Department of Education to strengthen student transportation services across the State. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Jeanne KapelaDemocrat

RELATING TO IDENTIFICATION.

Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, in collaboration with various agencies and upon request of the inmates, to assist inmates in obtaining the inmates' civil identification card, birth certificate, social security card, and other relevant identification necessary for successful reentry into society, as soon as practicable. Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to initiate the process of obtaining identifying documents for inmates released to work furlough, extended furlough, or community placement programs, by providing the forms necessary for the inmate to obtain civil identification cards and other identifying documents to the inmate as soon as practicable. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD.

Authorizes the payment of allowances for TRICARE, TRICARE Dental Program, and vision coverage to all officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel of the Hawaii National Guard ordered to active duty for more than 30 days. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Amends chapter 127A, HRS, to clarify state and county authority. Prohibits the Governor or a mayor from suspending requests for public records or vital specifics during a state of emergency. Adds definition of the term "severe warning". Allows the Legislature and county councils to terminate a state of emergency, in whole or in part, issued by the Governor or a mayor, respectively. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Renames the Electric Bicycle and Electric Moped Rebate Program to the Electric Mobility Device Rebate Program. Expands eligibility and amends the maximum rebate amount. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO NATIVE HAWAIIANS.

Requires the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to identify all legislative districts in the State in which at least twenty-five per cent of the population consists of Native Hawaiians. Designates these districts as Native Hawaiian notable districts. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.

Makes contributions by the candidate's immediate family subject to contribution limits. Amends the loan amount that a candidate or candidate committee may receive from the candidate's immediate family. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO DISABLED VETERANS.

Exempts disabled veterans from the State's vehicle weight tax and repeals the exemption for disabled veterans from the State's annual vehicle registration fee. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Mark J. HashemDemocrat

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

Limits the required payment of certain unpaid motor vehicle taxes and fees and accompanying financial penalties to those incurred during the most recent five consecutive years of delinquency. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Mark J. HashemDemocrat

RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX.

Exempts food and groceries from certain healthcare-related goods or services that were not the general excise tax. Expands general excise tax exemptions to include purchased under the Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE programs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Lauren MatsumotoRepublican

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Authorizes a tax credit for businesses that pay the public transportation costs of employees. Requires reports to the Legislature. Applies for taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025 but not beginning after 12/31/2029. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Daniel HoltDemocrat

RELATING TO MANDATORY PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE AND CONSENT IN CONTRACTS TO PROVIDE CREMATION SERVICES.

For contracts entered into on or after 10/1/2025, requires mortuaries and pre-need funeral authorities that contract to provide cremation services to provide written notice if precious metals are recovered after cremation and a disclosure that the person has thirty days to claim the precious metals after receipt of the notice. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Garner M. ShimizuRepublican

RELATING TO TELEHEALTH.

Extends the sunset date of Act 107, SLH 2023, which allows for the reimbursement of services provided through telehealth via an interactive telecommunications system, until 12/31/2026. (HD2)

Cory M. ChunDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Beginning 1/1/2026, requires health insurers, mutual benefit societies, health maintenance organizations, and health plans under the State's Medicaid managed care program to provide coverage for biomarker testing. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Cory M. ChunDemocrat

RELATING TO COLORECTAL CANCER.

Requires and appropriates funds for the Department of Human Services to develop and implement a public assistance program offering state-funded colorectal screenings for certain persons. Requires coverage for all colorectal cancer screenings in the State to be consistent with the Affordable Care Act Implementation Frequently Asked Questions published by the United States Department of Labor, United States Department of Health and Human Services, and United States Department of the Treasury. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Cory M. ChunDemocrat

RELATING TO THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF ANIMALS.

Establishes the Spay and Neuter Special Fund to reduce pet overpopulation and the reproduction of free-roaming cats. Establishes various revenue and fundraising sources for the special fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Andrew Takuya GarrettDemocrat

RELATING TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Establishes the Aloha Intelligence Institute within the University of Hawaii to develop, support, and advance artificial intelligence initiatives statewide. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Andrew Takuya GarrettDemocrat

RELATING TO LICENSE PLATES.

Prohibits the operation of a motor vehicle with, possession, purchase, installation, sale, offer for sale, or distribution of license plate flipping devices. Establishes a minimum fine of $250 and a maximum fine of $2,000 for each separate violation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Andrew Takuya GarrettDemocrat

RELATING TO TWO-WHEELED MOTORIZED VEHICLES.

Repeals the exception for when a person is not required to wear a safety helmet when operating a moped or motor scooter leased from a rental company. Requires operators and passengers of motorcycles to wear safety helmets with securely fastened chin straps while operating two-wheeled motorized vehicles on highways, streets, roadways, or any other public property in the State. Requires all renters or lessees of an electric foot scooter to wear a safety helmet regardless of their age. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Ikaika OldsDemocrat

RELATING TO HISTORIC PROPERTY.

Amends the definition of "historic property" under the State's historic preservation program to include properties included on, or eligible for inclusion on, the national register of historic places or Hawaii register of historic places and any artifacts, records, or material remains relating to the property. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Tyson K. MiyakeDemocrat

RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.

Requires employers to authorize and permit employees a 10-minute paid rest period for every four hours worked. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Cory M. ChunDemocrat

RELATING TO VEHICLE TITLES.

Clarifies that proof that a transferor has filed required notice forms serves as a complete defense to any action brought against the transferor for an act or omission, civil or criminal, arising out of the use, operation, or abandonment of the vehicle by another person. Requires, by July 1, 2026, the courts to create new forms permitting transferors to respond to actions arising out of the use, operation, or abandonment of transferred vehicles. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Tyson K. MiyakeDemocrat

RELATING TO CHILD CARE.

Establishes a child care classroom contracts pilot program to require the Department of Human Services to contract directly with child care center providers in licensed infant and toddler child care centers and group child care centers that meet certain criteria. Requires reports to the Legislature. Sunsets the pilot program on 6/30/2028. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO STUDENT HEAT EXPOSURE SAFETY.

Requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Health and State Public Charter School Commission, to conduct a study on the current practices of managing heat exposure in state public and charter schools to protect students' health during outdoor activities and to develop a plan if the current practices are insufficient in managing heat exposure. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY.

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a streamlined grid-ready home interconnection process. Requires the Hawaii Electricity Reliability Administrator to report to the Legislature on the streamlined grid-ready home interconnection process. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION.

Makes the members of the Elections Commission subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. Clarifies that a majority of all members to which the Elections Commission is entitled shall constitute a quorum to do business. (HD1)

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO LAND.

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for the purchase of the real property located at 64-486 Kamehameha Highway on the North Shore of Oahu. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Sean QuinlanDemocrat

RELATING TO RESEARCH.

Allows agencies to disclose government records to researchers for certain research purposes.

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO YOUTH FEES AND FINES.

Prohibits the assessment of any fees, fines, or court costs against a person who was adjudicated for an offense committed during the person's minority, or against the person's parent or guardian, and discharges all related debt obligations assessed before the effective date of the Act. Limits court-ordered community service for a minor to no more than seventy-two hours. Repeals certain penalties imposed on parents, guardians, or other persons associated with unaccompanied children in streets and unmarried minors in dance halls. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO THE COUNTIES.

Authorizes counties, after adoption of power of sale laws, ordinances, or rules, to sell private property after all notices, orders, and appeal proceedings are exhausted, and to use those revenues to pay unpaid civil fines related to that property. Requires the county to remit any amounts in excess of the unpaid civil fines to the property owner. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Cory M. ChunDemocrat

RELATING TO RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER CHAPTER 201H, HAWAII REVISED STATUTES.

Exempts transfers of Hawaiian Home Lands from transfer restrictions for real property under housing development programs of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Daniel HoltDemocrat

RELATING TO THE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM'S EMPLOYER REPORTING REVIEW.

Extends the due date of payment to the Employees' Retirement System for departments or agencies of the State or counties that fail to comply with reporting requirements by one year after the review period. Changes the time frame for which the Employers' Retirement System must report regarding any department or agency's failure to submit required information to the Employees' Retirement System from the current fiscal year to the previous fiscal year. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM.

Amends statutory language to conform the requirements of beginning dates and automatic cashout requirements with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO NATURAL HAIR BRAIDING.

Exempts natural hair braiders from licensing requirements under certain conditions.

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY.

Requires each purchasing agency to provide justification for hiring external consultants. Caps the amount each agency can spend on external consultants. Requires each agency to seek approval from the Legislature for consulting contracts exceeding a certain dollar amount. Requires each agency to disclose new contracts with external consultants. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Requires the Compliance Audit Unit to conduct regular audits of agency consultant contracts to assess cost-effectiveness and compliance. Requires each chief procurement officer to ensure that inherent government functions are not delegated to a contractor. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD2)

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO NEPOTISM.

Repeals language in the State's Code of Ethics that exempts the legislative and judicial branches from prohibitions against nepotism in public employment. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO HEARING AIDS.

Requires health insurance policies and contracts issued on or after 1/1/2026 to provide optional coverage for the cost of hearing aids at a minimum $1,500 per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every thirty-six months. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Joy A. San BuenaventuraDemocrat