Bills & Legislation

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 FUNDING ADJUSTMENTS FOR STATE PROGRAMS.

Makes emergency appropriations and commensurate reductions to pay for anticipated operating shortfalls due to the limited ability to transfer funds between programs.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO FUNDING ADJUSTMENTS FOR STATE PROGRAMS.

Makes emergency appropriations and commensurate reductions to pay for anticipated operating shortfalls in the fourth quarter due to the limited ability to transfer funds between programs.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE INTERSTATE MEDICAL LICENSURE COMPACT.

Authorizes the Hawaii Medical Board as the State of Principal License to investigate and request criminal history records of qualified physicians seeking licensing through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. Appropriates funds. Effective 07/01/2025.

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 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 THE MONEY TRANSMITTERS MODERNIZATION ACT.

Includes, for purposes of the Money Transmitters Modernization Act, receivables due from payment processors for certain debit or credit card transactions. Clarifies the calculation of tangible net worth. Changes the initial annual fee assessed upon the submission of the application to an initial fee assessed upon the approval of the application. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO TITLE 24, HAWAII REVISED STATUTES.

Provides amendments to net solvency report filing requirements for mutual benefit societies, health maintenance organizations, and dental insurers. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION'S OPERATING BUDGET.

Permits condominium associations to borrow from or reallocate their reserve funds; provided that the loan is repaid within one year. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE LICENSURE ACTIONS AGAINST SEX OFFENDERS.

Authorizes the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and certain licensing boards to automatically revoke and refuse to renew, restore, or reinstate the professional licenses, registrations, or certifications of registered sex offenders. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STRENGTHEN HAWAII HOMES PROGRAM.

Establishes the Strengthen Hawaii Homes Program to encourage single-family homeowners to retrofit their homes to resist damage by providing for grants to help offset the cost of retrofits. Appropriates funds.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STABILIZATION OF PROPERTY INSURANCE.

Expands the powers of the Hawaii Property Insurance Association and Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund to help to stabilize the property insurance market in the State. Requires the Insurance Commissioner to conduct a study. Appropriates moneys.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

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. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

Converts the Emergency Management Specialist series positions at level V and higher in the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency from civil service status to exempt status. Effective 7/1/3000. Repeal on 7/1/2027. (SD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

Establishes the Community Readiness Centers Program to be implemented and administered by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. Establishes the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund to fund the Community Readiness Centers Program. Renames the Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax to the Environmental Response, Energy, Food Security, and Resilience Tax and directs a portion of the tax into the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD.

Authorizes the payment of allowances for TRICARE Reserve Select, 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 in the service of the State.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD.

Allows the commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard to hold the rank authorized by the Department of the Air Force. Provides the Adjutant General with the flexibility to assign either the Chief of Staff or the Assistant Adjutant General to lead the Hawaii Air National Guard. Authorizes the pay and allowances for the Chief of Staff of the Hawaii Air National Guard to be determined according to the pay tables of the Regular Air Force of the United States. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE NATIONAL GUARD.

Specifies that intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to a national guard member in the performance of duty is a class C felony.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE EARLY LEARNING BOARD.

Adds the head start state collaboration office director as an ex officio, non-voting member of the early learning board, and requires the board to invite the president of the Head Start Association of Hawaii, or the president's designee, to serve as an ex officio, non-voting member of the board. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Authorizes the Department of Education to establish a program to award a high school diploma to qualified persons who did not receive a high school diploma as a result of compulsorily or voluntarily induction into the armed services of the United States and to persons whose high school education was interrupted due to wartime practices.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Allows newly graduated high school students to be eligible for workers' compensation coverage during the summer following their high school graduation while participating in work-based learning programs established and regulated by the Department of Education.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Adds 2 ex officio, voting members that represent the Department of Education and Board of Education to the School Facilities Authority Board. (SD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THERAPY SERVICES.

Expands the scopes of practice for occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech pathologists to allow those professionals working for or contracted by the Department of Education to diagnose medical conditions that can be treated with their respective services.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO COMPUTER SCIENCE LEGISLATIVE REPORT.

Changes the due date of the Department of Education's computer science legislative report from June 30 to twenty days prior to the start of the legislative regular session.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Education for teacher-requested classroom supplies for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires the Department of Education to implement dyslexia-sensitive universal screenings, provide evidence-based interventions, and offer professional development on dyslexia and structured literacy.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE USE OF PUBLIC LANDS.

Requires the School Facilities Authority to consult with the Department of Education and other impacted departments or agencies prior to the conveyance of ownership rights or lease of lands to the School Facilities Authority. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO SCHOOL MEALS.

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)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE FUNDS.

Establishes the Climate Mitigation and Resiliency Special Fund. Mandates the allocation of all earned interest from the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund to the newly established special fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Increases the transient accommodations tax and allocates a portion of the tax to the general fund for projects that address climate change impacts and advance economic development and revitalization. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO IDENTIFICATION PROCESSING.

Requires that the Attorney General's identification system include criminal cases initiated via citations that resulted in conviction, deferred acceptance of guilty or nolo contendere plea, or conditional discharge, and that a court order identification processing in such cases.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH.

Clarifies and expands the circumstances and procedures available for emergency transportation, examination, and hospitalization under chapter 334. Provides limits on liability for state and local governments and professionals during mental health emergency procedures while performing their duties in the course of employment. Expands the notice requirements for an emergency hospitalization to include an individual's health-care surrogate and clarifies when notice to family members can be waived. Removes the authority of the family court to appoint a legal guardian in a proceeding for involuntary hospitalization. Removes the requirement that psychiatric facilities wait for a response on a notice of intent to discharge an involuntary hospitalization patient prior to discharge. Clarifies the circumstances under which a subject of an order for assisted community treatment can be administered medication over the subject's objection. Provides limits on liability for an assisted community treatment provider. Modifies the administrative authorization of medical treatment over the patient's objection to be reviewed by a single decision-maker who is a psychiatrist.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.

Adopts the Uniform Health Care Decisions Act (2023), as modified, to replace chapters 327E and 327G, HRS. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Amends multiple definitions and penalties for fireworks offenses, including heightened penalties if another person suffers substantial bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death as a result of the fireworks offenses. Establishes criminal offenses of general fireworks or articles pyrotechnic prohibitions in the first and second degree; sending or receiving fireworks or articles pyrotechnic by air delivery; distributing fireworks or articles pyrotechnic to non-permit holder; removal or extraction of pyrotechnic contents; consumer fireworks prohibitions; refusal to provide identification; and violating requirements of carrier. Establishes an adjudication system and procedures to process fireworks infractions; makes an appropriation.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

Includes agricultural tourism in the definition of "enterprise" to authorize the Agribusiness Development Corporation to financially support farming businesses engaged in agricultural tourism. Transfers the Agricultural Development Division of the Department of Agriculture to the Agribusiness Development Corporation. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS OF STATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.

Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to determine the effect of any proposed State affordable housing project within ninety days of a request for determination. Bases the historic review requirements on the project area's known or likely density of historic, cultural, and archaeological resources or previous identification of no significant historic properties. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DWELLING UNIT REVOLVING FUND.

Makes the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Pilot Program permanent. Allows partial or full repayment of Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund interim loans in the form of unit equity through the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO NEIGHBORHOOD BOARDS.

Authorizes neighborhood boards to solicit suggestions for capital improvement projects and operating budget priorities from residents. Requires each county mayor to consider and respond in writing to the suggestions for capital improvement projects and operating budget priorities submitted by each neighborhood board. Requires each county council to consider the neighborhood boards' recommendations, the mayor's responses, and county fiscal health in determining the final budget.

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO HOTELS.

Requires a hotel to provide notification of a service disruption, or that a service disruption may occur, to all third-party vendors and prospective and current guests. Prohibits a hotel from imposing any fee, penalty, or other charge, or retaining any deposit: if before check-in, a guest cancels a reservation due to a service disruption, unless the hotel provided prior notice; or if the service disruption arises after check-in, regardless of whether the hotel provided prior notification.

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO CARBON DISPLACEMENT.

Establishes a carbon displacement tax credit for taxpayers of locally produced goods. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to certify tax credit amounts.

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION OF REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS.

Disallows the dividends paid deduction for real estate investment trusts. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025.

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO HARBORS.

Requires the Department of Transportation to construct, maintain, and operate customs and security facilities at commercial harbors.

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO THE LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT.

Clarifies that a partner or member that is a partnership or limited liability company that has been allocated a low-income housing tax credit may either further allocate the credit or transfer, sell, or assign all or a portion of the credit to any person. Extends the sunset date of Act 129, SLH 2016, relating to the low-income housing tax credit, from 12/31/2027 to 12/31/2032. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Luke A. EvslinDemocrat

RELATING TO BI-LEVEL LIGHTING SYSTEMS.

Requires all newly constructed state buildings and facilities to use only bi-level lighting systems beginning 1/1/2026.

Luke A. EvslinDemocrat

RELATING TO PARKINSON'S DISEASE RESEARCH.

Establishes the Parkinson's Disease Research Collection Database to be administered by the State Health Planning and Development Agency, 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 Agency to create a Parkinson's disease research collection database webpage by 1/1/2026, and submit annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO MEDICAL CANNABIS.

Prohibits persons from operating a medical cannabis dispensary or producing, manufacturing, or selling cannabis products without a license from the Department of Health. Prohibits individuals from providing certain services to individuals engaging in unlicensed cannabis operations. Requires the Department of Health to send a cease and desist notice to violators. Establishes criminal penalties.

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO PRIOR AUTHORIZATION.

Establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for prior authorization process in the State, including disclosure and notice requirements for utilization review entities regarding their prior authorization requirements and restrictions; qualifications and criteria for prior authorization review and appeals personnel; prior authorization process for non-urgent and urgent health care services, including the time frame by which utilization review entities must render a decision; adverse determination and appeal processes; prohibition of prior authorization for emergency health care services and medication for opioid use disorder; payments to health care providers; length and duration of prior authorizations; and exemptions for certain health care providers. Requires health insurers to utilize NCPDP SCRIPT Standard electronic prior authorization transactions by 1/1/2026. Requires utilization review entities to submit annual reports to the Insurance Commissioner each year. Requires the Insurance Commissioner to submit annual reports to the Legislature. Requires the Insurance Commissioner to adopt rules by 1/1/2026.

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE GENERAL EXCISE TAX.

Exempts from the general excise tax amounts received by a nurse entrepreneur for health care-related goods and services purchased under Medicaid, Medicare, or TRICARE.

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat