Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT.

Establishes a paid family leave program for state and county employees. Authorizes a qualifying employee to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth or placement of a child or to care for a family member who has a serious health condition. Requires the employee to agree to subsequently work for the employer for at least 12 weeks upon return to service except under certain conditions.

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO MOPEDS.

Increases the minimum age for moped operators from fifteen to sixteen years. Increases the minimum age requirement for individuals prohibited from operating a moped unless they wear a safety helmet from eighteen to twenty-one years. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO LABOR.

Short form bill relating to labor.

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO LABOR.

Short form bill relating to labor.

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE WORKERS.

Short form bill relating to state workers.

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

Short form bill relating to collective bargaining.

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO LABOR.

Short form bill relating to labor.

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE.

Requires owners or lessees of real property to maintain their property and establish penalties for failure to do so. Allows for exceptions. Requires DOA to establish rules for the enforcement and collection of fines for violations relating to the proliferation of invasive species. Requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to adopt rules for the enforcement and collection of fines for violations relating to the prevention of wildfires and other public safety hazards. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO DOMESTIC ABUSE PROTECTIVE ORDERS.

Increases the penalties imposed on individuals convicted for violation of a temporary restraining order and order for protection. Clarifies that the court shall not sentence a defendant to pay a fine for violating a temporary restraining order or order for protection if, after conducting a financial review, the court determines the defendant is or will be unable to pay the fine. Specifies that the court may suspend certain jail sentence for violation of a temporary restraining order or order for protection upon condition that the defendant remain alcohol- and drug-free, conviction-free, and complete court-ordered assessments or intervention.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO CIVIL IDENTIFICATION CARDS.

Makes the issuance or renewal of a civil identification card free of charge. Appropriates funds. Effective 6/30/3000. (SD1)

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Appropriates funds to establish a state tea agent at UH Manoa CTAHR.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO INCOME TAX.

Makes permanent the amendments made by Act 163, SLH 2023, to the state earned income tax credit and refundable food/excise tax credit. Amends the income thresholds and credit amounts for the low-income household renters tax credit and refundable food/excise tax credit. Amends the state earned income tax credit. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX EXEMPTIONS.

Exempts the tax collected on the sale of groceries that are eligible under the supplemental nutrition assistance program or special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, regardless of the means of purchase and the program eligibility of the purchaser.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO MEDIA.

Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to fix the payment of royalties to the State for the filming of scenic shots of iconic locations in the State that are subsequently featured in media for production purposes. Exempts state and county productions.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT.

Permanently increases the state earned income tax credit to fifty per cent of the federal earned income tax credit. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT.

Authorizes each qualifying individual taxpayer to claim an additional credit if the taxpayer claims any dependent under the age of eighteen.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO ELECTRIC BICYCLES.

Prohibits a person under the age of fifteen from operating a class 3 electric bicycle. Prohibits a person sixteen years of age or older from operating a class 3 electric bicycle unless the person satisfies certain requirements. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO CARE HOMES.

Prohibits the licensing of an adult residential care home, expanded adult residential care home, or developmental disabilities domiciliary home that is financed, managed, operated, supervised, directed, or owned in whole or in part by a person convicted of a gambling offense.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO HARASSMENT BY STALKING.

Makes harassment by stalking a class C felony.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Increases fines that may be assessed against certain fireworksrelated violations. Effective 7/1/2025.

LAMOSAO

RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE TWENTY-SECOND REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT.

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the twenty-second representative district.

Andrew Takuya GarrettDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL TOURISM.

Requires the counties to adopt ordinances setting forth procedures and requirements for the review and permitting of agricultural tourism uses and activities as secondary uses, in addition to accessory uses, on a working farm or farming operation. Requires the counties' ordinances to include requirements that: the principal agricultural use on a working farm or farming operation preexists the issuance of any land use permit or building permit for any accessory and secondary use and agricultural tourism be allowed only on land on which productive agricultural use is occurring. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Amy A. PerrusoDemocrat

RELATING TO DECENTRALIZATION OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FARM TO SCHOOL.

Provides that complex area superintendents have the authority to implement the farm to school and farm to school meals programs. Requires certain school cafeteria supervisors to report directly to complex area superintendents. Establishes school cafeteria supervisor positions. Requires the Department of Human Resources Development to conduct a compensation review of school cafeteria supervisor positions. Appropriates funds.

Amy A. PerrusoDemocrat

RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FARM TO SCHOOL PROCUREMENT.

Requires the Department of Education to establish rules for the procurement of goods and services related to the administration of food programs at public schools that incorporate a geographic preference for unprocessed locally grown and locally raised food products.

Amy A. PerrusoDemocrat

RELATING TO FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF AGRICULTURAL LAND.

Prohibits foreign entities from owning, leasing, or holding a controlling interest in more than an unspecified number of acres of agricultural land. Limits the lease term for agricultural land by foreign entities. Requires foreign entities that own or lease interest in agricultural lands to file an annual report with the Department of Agriculture. Appropriates funds.

Amy A. PerrusoDemocrat

RELATING TO THE RIGHT TO FARM.

Amends the definition of "farming operation" by including customary and traditional subsistence farming conducted by native Hawaiian cultural practitioners and excluding concentrated animal feeding operations and business entities with unclear or non-transparent ownership or beneficiary structures. Establishes additional criteria for farming operations to meet in order to be protected against nuisance claims. Clarifies the purpose and intent of the Hawaii Right to Farm Act.

Amy A. PerrusoDemocrat

RELATING TO MARITIME DAY.

Designates May 22 of each year as Maritime Day. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to identify and preserve historically significant areas within state harbors and place educational displays at the areas for public awareness.

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO PORT WORKERS.

Establishes the Port Worker Advisory Committee to make recommendations to the Department of Transportation regarding management of state-owned and state-managed ports. Requires the Department to conduct meetings to solicit input from port workers on methods to improve ports and problems faced by port workers.

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO THE HAWAII SPACE COMMISSION.

Establishes the Hawaii Space Commission within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to promote innovation in the fields of space exploration and commercial aerospace. Appropriates moneys.

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDERS.

Increases the mandatory minimum jail sentence for a first conviction of knowingly or intentionally violating a temporary restraining order from forty-eight to seventy-two hours. Requires mandatory mental health counseling for a first conviction of knowingly or intentionally violating a temporary restraining order.

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY.

Includes any parcels owned by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority as areas that may be closed to the public. Specifies required signage. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Imposes a statewide limitation on consumer fireworks, except by permit for use at cultural events.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL.

Appropriates funds to supplement the salary of the State Fire Marshal. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE ADEQUATE RESERVE FUND.

Amends the definition of "adequate reserve fund" by increasing the multiplier used to calculate its amount from the existing factor of 1, to unspecified amounts for calendar year 2026 and for calendar year 2027 and thereafter. Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to conduct an actuarial study and report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

Revises the deadline for a county council to take action on a low- and moderate-income housing project's application from 45 days to 90 days after receipt of the applicable agency's report and the proposed project's preliminary plans and specifications.

Andrew Takuya GarrettDemocrat

RELATING TO TOBACCO PRODUCTS.

Repeals existing law that preempted local ordinances or regulations that regulate the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices and nullified and voided any conflicting local laws and regulations. Allows counties to adopt ordinances that regulate the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices that do not conflict with and are more stringent than the state law that govern smoking.

Scot Z. MatayoshiDemocrat

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

Establishes a payment rate not to exceed cost plus forty per cent for nonprescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, or nonlegend drugs for workers' compensation purposes, subject to certain conditions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Scot Z. MatayoshiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

Requires each public high school in the State to require students to complete and pass 2 full years of Hawaiian language courses as a condition of graduation.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO SEX-SPECIFIC STUDENT ATHLETIC TEAMS.

Creates the requirement of school sports to designate sex-specific teams for the purpose of gender equality.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO INTOXICATING LIQUOR.

Establishes when unannounced visits and inspections may be conducted. Repeals a category for dispenser licenses in which employees sit with patrons. Clarifies the investigator's and police officer's authority to enter a liquor premises if they are denied admittance.

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

Establishes the Hawaii State Fellows Program within the Department of Human Resources Development to match talented applicants with full-time, paid fellowship roles in various state agencies for a period of ten to eleven months. Establishes minimum qualifications and procedures for eligible applicants to apply to the program. Gives preference to eligible program applicants who have pre-existing ties to the State or a demonstrated commitment to long-term leadership in the State. Requires the Department of Human Resources Development, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, to coordinate with state agencies to implement and promote the program. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE BOATING FACILITIES.

Establishes a State Boating Facility Lease Program within the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to be administered by DOBOR. Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural to lease Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor for private development, management, maintenance, and operation. Repeals provisions relating to the leasing of fast lands and submerged lands of Ala Wai Boat Harbor. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Repeals the State Boating Facility Lease Program on 6/30/2045.

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO STREAM MAINTENANCE.

Requires the counties to remove and dispose of personal property as part of the maintenance of channels, streambeds, streambanks, and drainageways. Clarifies that personal property stored in or near a channel, streambed, streambank, or drainageways for a continuous period of more than twenty-four hours shall be deemed abandoned property which may be disposed of by the State or county. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.

Requires the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions to establish a permanent Return-to-Home Program to return homeless individuals in the State to families and relatives in their home states. Requires the Office to report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO LOAN REPAYMENT FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS.

Appropriates funds for the Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT.

Allows a retirant to be employed without reenrollment in the Employees' Retirement System and without loss or interruption of benefits under the System or the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund if the retirant is employed in a position needed for succession planning, as a law enforcement officer stationed at a public school as a resource officer, as an investigator, or in a management position excluded from collective bargaining, 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 school resource officers or investigators. (SD2)

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat