Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Establishes a program and income tax credit to incentivize the conversion of commercial properties into residential properties. Appropriates moneys.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO INTERISLAND AIR SERVICE.

Establishes a Hawaii Interisland Air Service Stability and Transformation Program to be administered by the Department of Taxation. Requires a covered interisland air service operator to issue an equity interest to the State as a condition of participation in the Hawaii Interisland Air Service Stability and Transformation Program. Establishes the Interisland Air Service Stability and Transformation Tax Credit. Sunsets 6/30/2036. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SIXTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT.

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the 6th senatorial district.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO CANNABIS.

Allows applicants or primary caregivers to make a one-time purchase of medical cannabis after the submission of the applicant's certification form while waiting for confirmation of registration from the Department of Health. Requires the Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation to facilitate the temporary authorization. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD2)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SEVENTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT.

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the 7th senatorial district.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIVE HAWAIIAN FILM AND MEDIA INDUSTRY.

Establishes and appropriates moneys for a Native Hawaiian film and media development program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Establishes a full-cycle production tax credit for taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025. Provides the Department of Taxation with certain duties and responsibilities in administering the tax credit.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO RESILIENCY.

Part II: For taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025, establishes an Agroecological and Climate-Smart Farming Practices Tax Credit to be administered by the Department of Taxation. Part III: Establishes the Hawaii Farm to Families Program and requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to submit reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Part IV: Requires the Department of Education to strengthen the State's farm to school meals program initiatives.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO HEMP.

Establishes an affirmative defense for a manufactured hemp product retailer that reasonably relies on a third-party age‑verification service to comply with existing age-based sale restrictions for manufactured hemp products.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO AQUACULTURE.

Requires establishment of a biological aquatic risk-based framework for assessment and approval of aquatic livestock importation and movement. Authorizes the Division of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to adopt rules implementing species risk categorization, tiered biocontainment standards, per-arrival disease testing, and interagency coordination procedures. Establishes an interagency working group. Requires development of species-specific risk matrices, interagency working group coordination with automatic permit approval timelines, and performance accountability. Establishes an implementation timeline. Appropriates moneys.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Establishes provisions limiting state and federal collaboration for purposes of immigration enforcement operations. Requires state and county law enforcement agencies to establish and publicly post written policies regarding civil immigration enforcement. Prohibits law enforcement officers from initiating or prolonging a stop, detention, or arrest of a person for the purpose of determining the person's civil immigration status, except under certain circumstances. Prohibits state and county involvement in civil immigration enforcement activity in certain locations. Requires the Department of Law Enforcement to assist state and county agencies in maintaining compliance with the civil immigration enforcement policy. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO ECOSYSTEM RIGHTS.

Recognizes watersheds and coral reef ecosystems as legal persons with inherent and inalienable rights to exist, flourish, and naturally evolve. Establishes enforceable ecosystem rights grounded in public trust doctrine and Native Hawaiian customary stewardship. Authorizes citizen enforcement, restorative and injunctive remedies, civil penalties, and continuing duties of ecological repair, including for historic harms. Provides for open representation, community consultation, co-governance, and supremacy over conflicting laws.

Les Ihara Jr.Democrat

RELATING TO ENERGY.

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to open a docketed proceeding no later than 9/1/2026, to conduct a comprehensive, objective, and independent analysis of the State's energy pathways. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

Requires the Hawaii Community Development Authority, when planning and developing housing, to plan for complete communities that include various aspects supporting quality of life. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE LIBRARIES.

Clarifies the roles and responsibilities for capital improvement projects at the 12 dual-use public and school libraries statewide. Clarifies that, after the Board of Education authorizes the State Librarian to make capital improvements to a public and school library facility, and the Legislature appropriates funding for the project, the Department of Education shall work expeditiously with the State Librarian to ensure timely use of the appropriated moneys.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Authorizes governmental bodies and public employees to procure project management services through non-governmental third-party contracts under certain conditions. Appropriates funds to establish a Special Project Branch within the Public Works Division of the Department of Accounting and General Services. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS.

Requires condominium maps for lands within an agricultural district to include a letter signed by an appropriate county official or agency certifying that the condominium property regime will conform to county zoning laws. Requires an application for registration of a project in an agricultural district larger than ten acres to include certain additional information. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO UNIVERSAL SCHOOL MEALS.

Establishes the universal school meals special fund to accept deposits of Medicaid reimbursements received by the Department of Education.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING.

Requires state agencies that administer agricultural leases, licenses, development programs, or procurement involving agricultural products to award points or preferences to agricultural projects incorporating agricultural workforce housing. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to submit a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO THE MINIMUM WAGE.

Amends the minimum monthly guaranteed compensation an individual must earn to be exempt from certain wage and hour requirements. Requires the minimum wage to increase to $18.00 per hour beginning 1/1/2027, instead of 1/1/2028. Increases the minimum wage on 1/1/2028, 1/1/2029, and 1/1/2030. Prohibits tipped employees from being paid less than the minimum wage.

Rachele LamosaoDemocrat

RELATING TO CARE HOMES.

Requires and appropriates funds for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to establish a Central Oahu Care Home Community Resilience Pilot Program to assist eligible care home facilities to implement structural and operational resilience improvements. Requires a report to the Legislature.

Rachele LamosaoDemocrat

RELATING TO PROTECTED COMMUNITY LOCATIONS.

Establishes statewide standards for state and county agencies, officers, and employees, and recipients of state funds, to limit participation in civil immigration enforcement in or near protected community locations that provide state-funded services related to education, physical or mental health, social services such as shelter care or food assistance, or access to justice, including schools, health care facilities, libraries, shelters, and places of worship. Requires the Department of Education, State Public Charter School Commission, University of Hawaii, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Hawaii State Public Library System, and Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to adopt and post written policies, provide annual staff training, and maintain data privacy protections. Appropriates funds for implementation by the Attorney General.

Rachele LamosaoDemocrat

RELATING TO LANGUAGE ACCESS.

Appropriates funds for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to increase access to bilingual resources and services for residents with limited English proficiency.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE MILITARY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism through the Military and Community Relations Office to strengthen intergovernmental coordination for military and defense activities. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO FIRE RISK MITIGATION.

Establishes the Fire Risk Management and Safety Documentation Pilot Program to promote condominium fire safety. Establishes the Fire Risk Management and Safety Documentation Working Group to oversee the Fire Risk Management and Safety Documentation Pilot Program. Requires the Department of Law Enforcement to provide administrative support to the Fire Risk Mitigation and Safety Documentation Working Group. Appropriates funds.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO ENCAMPMENTS.

Prohibits the erection, placement, construction, or maintenance of an encampment within one hundred feet from the property line of a pre-K-12 public or private school or school facility on public or private property.

Samantha DeCorteRepublican

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.

Establishes a Health Care for All Hawaii Board to design and recommend the Health Care for All Hawaii plan that is publicly funded and available to every resident of the State. Establishes values and principles for the board in developing its plan, designates the scope of the plan, requires the board to establish an advisory committee to provide consumer perspective input, and requires the board to submit the plan to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Repeals 6/30/2027.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL.

Designates the Statewide Independent Living Council of Hawaii as the State's statewide independent living council to comply with federal requirements.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO HOSPITAL DISCHARGE DATA.

Establishes a statewide system for the collection, audit, and public release of de‑identified hospital discharge data. Requires the State Health Planning and Development Agency to convene a Hospital Discharge Data Working Group. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS.

Establishes a Royal Mausoleum Commission within the Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop and implement policy for the preservation, operation, and outreach of Mauna ʻAla. Requires the Royal Mausoleum Commission to report annually to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO LABELING REQUIREMENTS.

Establishes labeling requirements for ʻōkolehao products. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT PROTESTS.

Requires the forfeiture of half of the cash or protest bond for review of procurement-related disputes if the initiating party does not prevail in an administrative proceeding and the Office of Administrative Hearings finds that the appeal was made in bad faith. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD1)

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO LIBERTY AND JUSTICE DAY.

Designates March 5 of every year as Liberty and Justice Day. Requires all flags flown on state lands to be flown at half-staff on Liberty and Justice Day. (HD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

Prohibits the Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Taxation, and Department of the Attorney General from appointing or employing certain former United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Border Patrol agents and employees as law enforcement officers. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO CLIMATE PLANNING.

Amends the leadership, membership, powers, and duties of the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission. Establishes the powers and duties of the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission Coordinator. Beginning after 12/31/2026, requires all department and agency plans and decisions to consider recommendations made by the Commission and Coordinator. Appropriates funds for positions and other expenses. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE BUDGET.

Appropriates funds to be expended by the Department of Health as a grant for the Hawaii Primary Care Association to support solar-plus-storage microgrid implementation at community health centers in medically underserved communities, and provide programmatic services, project management, contract management, reporting and fiscal stewardship responsibilities, and developing future scalable plans for the development and deployment of solar-plus-storage microgrids at nonprofit community health centers. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Establishes the Hawaii Agricultural Transportation Assistance Program, to consist of a reimbursement program and a grant program within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, to assist certain farmers and livestock producers with transportation costs for agricultural products, inputs, supplies, and production and distribution of agricultural commodities. Establishes the Hawaii Agricultural Transportation Assistance Special Fund. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM-EDUCATION PROGRAM.

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience and the Department of Health to continue their implementation of the Hawaii Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education Program.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO REGIONAL AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION.

Establishes the Regional Agricultural Feasibility and Food Systems Production Studies Working Group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to provide coordinated, region-specific agricultural production and crop feasibility analysis across the State. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Repeals 6/30/2028.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO SOLID WASTE.

Requires municipal solid waste combustor ash to be disposed of only in a double-lined landfill, except for in Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill cells constructed and in use by 12/31/2025. Beginning 12/31/2026, prohibits the reuse of municipal solid waste incinerator ash for use as daily landfill cover material, roadbuilding, fill, or construction material.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO THE COSMETOLOGY LICENSURE COMPACT.

Authorizes the Governor to enter into a Cosmetology Licensure Compact on behalf of the State to provide a streamlined process that allows cosmetologists to obtain a multistate license enabling them to practice cosmetology in another state without obtaining a separate license under the laws of that state. Requires the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to adopt rules to implement and administer the Compact.

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO ATHLETE AGENTS.

Prohibits any person from providing advisory, negotiation, or procurement assistance to or on behalf of a student athlete relating to endorsements; promotional or marketing services; appearances; autographs; social media branding; content creation or distribution; licensing of publicity rights; brand development, sponsorship, or promotional arrangements; or agreements related to the name, image, or likeness of the student athlete, without being a registered athlete agent in the State and having a valid agency contract executed in compliance with applicable law. (SD1)

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Affirms student-athletes' rights to engage in name, image, and likeness activities for compensation. Requires the University of Hawaii to adopt policies governing institutional name, image, and likeness agreements and other aspects of name, image, and likeness activity consistent with federal law, rules by an intercollegiate athletics governing body such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and Title IX. Requires the University to provide independent advisors to student-athletes. Establishes certain transparency and accountability requirements in the administration of institutional name, image, and likeness activities. Provides protections and educational support for student-athletes who enter into name, image, and likeness agreements. Sunsets 6/30/2030. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND STAFF SALARIES.

Authorizes the Board of Trustees of the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund to establish the salary for an assistant administrator of the Trust Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT ACTIONS.

Requires any law enforcement officer acting under color of law in a public space or on state or county property to remain visibly identifiable. Prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings while performing their duties, with certain exceptions. Requires law enforcement officers to wear apparel and use vehicles that bear conspicuous markings of the applicable law enforcement agency. Requires all civil law enforcement activity that involves participation by state or county law enforcement officers or occurs on state or county property to be conducted in a manner that adheres to specified standards. Deems certain locations to be service-first spaces and requires them to have clear, narrowly tailored procedures with respect to civil immigration actions. Requires all state and county agencies to adopt policies that limit the collection, retention, and sharing of immigration-related personal data. Requires all interagency data exchanges between state agencies, county agencies, or state and county agencies to operate under auditable agreements. Requires all state and county agencies to report annually to the Legislature and Governor regarding the civil-immigration-related requests. Requires every state and county agency to adopt a policy that prohibits immigration-based harassment or threats, including unwarranted verification of an individual's immigration status, with respect to employment or the provision of services to the public. Requires all state and county law enforcement officers to monitor civil immigration enforcement activity by activating body cameras when present in a situation in which United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are interacting with a member of the general public.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NINTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT.

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the 9th senatorial district.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY.

Requires the Advisory Board of Directors of the Hawaii Tourism Authority to be composed of seven, rather than twelve, members. Requires the Governor to appoint members to the Advisory Board from lists provided by certain organizations representing the tourism industry.

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO CASINO GAMING.

Authorizes limited casino gaming in the State at a single casino facility located in the Stadium Development District. Establishes the Hawaii Gaming Control Commission. Authorizes the Commission to adopt rules. Authorizes the Commission to issue one 20-year casino license to one licensee for the development and operation of the casino facility. Establishes application procedures and requirements for the casino license, supplier's license, and occupational license. Allows the Commission to establish procedures for the issuance of a liquor license for the casino licensee. Requires annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. Establishes the Wagering Tax and the disposition of revenues therefrom, including allocations to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Department of Education. Establishes the State Gaming Fund. Requires the Commission to establish a Compulsive Gamblers Program. Requires the Auditor to perform periodic audits of the Commission. Appropriates funds.

Glenn WakaiDemocrat