Bills & Legislation

PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE X, SECTION 2 AND ARTICLE XVIII, SECTION 12, OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO ESTABLISH A SCHOOL BOARD COMPRISED OF APPOINTED AND ELECTED MEMBERS.

Proposes a constitutional amendment that would establish a school board comprised of five members appointed by the governor and four members elected by the voters and representing each county. Prohibits board members from serving more than twelve years as a member.

REYES ODA

RELATING TO AUTISM.

Appropriates moneys to the Department of Human Services to increase funding for applied behavioral analysis services for Medicaid enrollees who have been diagnosed with autism. Requires the Department to obtain the maximum federal matching funds available for the expenditure.

REYES ODA

RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY.

Short form bill relating to the Judiciary.

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS.

Short form bill relating to Hawaiian affairs.

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO THE PENAL CODE.

Short form bill relating to the Penal Code.

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

Short form bill relating to the Department of the Attorney General.

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE LAW.

Short form bill relating to state law.

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUM INSURANCE.

Establishes the Hawaii Condominium Mutual Insurance Company to provide property and casualty insurance to high-rise residential condominium properties and the owners of those units. Establishes a loan fund to assist associations of apartment owners experiencing increased insurance costs. Appropriates moneys.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE FOR HAWAII CONDOMINIUM PROPERTIES.

Requires property insurers to offer discounts on a condominium association's annual insurance premium if the association adopts specific risk mitigation upgrades or develops comprehensive disaster response plans. Requires property insurers of condominiums to base premium increases on actuarial justifications that reflect actual risk reduction resulting from upgraded fire safety improvements installed in conjunction with a building fire and life safety evaluation. Requires property insurers of condominiums to justify premium increases above 10%. Requires property insurers of condominiums to publicly report premium increases each year.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO MANAGING AGENTS.

Requires managing agents for residential condominium properties over seventy-five feet in height to have commercial property management experience.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE THIRTY-FIRST REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT.

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the thirty-first representative district.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO TREATMENT FOR MENTAL ILLNESS.

Establishes a pilot program in the Department of Health to provide intensive mobile treatment-type services, e.g., "street psychiatry", to chronically houseless adult individuals suffering from serious brain disorders like schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO HOTELS.

Requires hotelkeepers to provide adequate notice of service disruptions to guests and third-party vendors under certain conditions. Allows for recovery of damages by injured consumers. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO RECORDINGS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES.

Establishes the right of a person to record law enforcement activities. Establishes a private right of action for any violation of the right to record law enforcement activities. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Clarifies the types of events that constitute disasters and emergencies for the purposes of emergency management. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Mahina PoepoeDemocrat

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE I OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO RECOGNIZE AND PROTECT THE INHERENT AND INALIENABLE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO CLEAN WATER AND AIR, A HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE, HEALTHY NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS, AND BEACHES.

Proposes a constitutional amendment to ensure that the inherent and inalienable right of the people, including present and future generations, to clean water and air, a healthful environment and climate, healthy native ecosystems, and beaches shall be protected and shall not be infringed.

Mahina PoepoeDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Prohibits the imposition of cost-sharing requirements for certain diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations.

Lauren MatsumotoRepublican

RELATING TO SCHOOL SAFETY.

Requires the Department of Education to assign school resource officers to department public schools and charter schools. Encourages the employment of qualified retirees from the local police departments and department of law enforcement. Appropriates funds for these positions.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO THE MEDICAL USE OF CANNABIS.

Repeals registration requirements relating to qualifying outofstate medical cannabis patients who are validly registered in other states, United States territories, or the District of Columbia. Repeals language requiring an initial inperson consultation before physicians and advanced practice registered nurses may make medical cannabis treatment recommendations via telehealth. Prohibits the Department of Health from imposing fees for patients' medical cannabis registration certificates.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Increases the number of voter service centers in the State. Requiring all voter services centers to operate during the same days and hours statewide. Clarifies that during each day of operation, during all hours of operation, each voter service center is to provide in-person voter registration, receive absentee and election-by-mail ballots, allow voters to vote in person, and provide voting machine services for persons with disabilities. Appropriates moneys to the counties for the administrative costs of voter service centers.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO THE MEDICAL USE OF CANNABIS.

Establishes a licensing system for medical cannabis cultivation. Facilitates the transport of medical cannabis. Expands the scope of authorized actions for medical cannabis patients. Provides that qualifying out-of-state patients need not register with the Department of Health. Protects medical cannabis patients and cultivation licenses from undue discrimination.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESS MARKETING.

Appropriates funds for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to convene a working group regarding program design, implementation, and long-term viability of a Native Hawaiian Marketing Program to promote and support the success of businesses owned by Hawaiians through marketing and technical assistance. Effective 7/1/3000.

Kirstin KahaloaDemocrat

RELATING TO TAX REVENUES.

Beginning on 1/1/2026, increases transient accommodations tax rates by 1 percentage point. Deposits the increased revenues into the Hawaiian Home General Loan Fund established under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as amended. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Daniel HoltDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

Allows the Hawaii Community Development Authority to approve residential development on certain parcels of land in the Kakaako Makai area. Raises the building height limit on certain parcels in the area. Requires a certain percentage of the residential units developed on certain parcels to be allocated to households at or below a certain income level, with priority given to certain essential workforce in the area. Limits the sale of residential units developed in certain residential developments to prospective owner-occupants. Requires the Hawaii Community Development Authority to determine a Kakaako Makai Association Fee to be collected from all residential developments on certain parcels to be deposited into a special account in the Hawaii Community Development Revolving Fund to fund various services and projects in the Kakaako Makai area.

Daniel HoltDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOMELANDS.

Appropriates funds to be used by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for mercantile projects, as well as lump sum repair and maintenance, in fiscal year 2025-2026. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Mahina PoepoeDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Establishes the Class A felony-level offense of serious bodily injury or death resulting from fireworks.

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Establishes the shipping container inspection program and shipping container inspection program special fund. Amends the definitions of "aerial devices" and "fireworks" within state fireworks law. Requires reports to the Legislature on implementation of the shipping container inspection program. Appropriates moneys.

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO SEX TRAFFICKING.

Requires the posting of informational placards on sex trafficking and resources available to victims, in public buildings and at other specified locations. Requires the Department of Human Services to develop and make available a model placard. Requires the Department of Education to train teachers, school administrators, and other school personnel on the dynamics of sex trafficking and strategies for prevention and response. Requires and appropriates moneys for the Department of the Attorney General to develop and implement public education and outreach events on the dynamics of sex trafficking and the importance of community involvement in prevention and response efforts.

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO COLD CASE INVESTIGATIONS.

Establishes and appropriates funds for a Cold Case Investigation Unit within the Department of the Attorney General. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.

Amends the transient accommodations tax rate beginning on 1/1/2027. Beginning 1/1/2027, requires collection of a monthly tax of $20 per passenger per port entry or any commercial passenger vessel at any port facility under the jurisdiction of the department of taxation. Establishes a Transient Accommodation Tax Enforcement Working Group. Requires the transfer of all agricultural leases under the jurisdiction of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture. Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for certain environmental stewardship projects. Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Tourism Authority for its operating budget request. Requires reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD2)

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO CESSPOOLS.

Appropriates funds for the cesspool compliance pilot grant project.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Extends the sunset date of Act 67, SLH 2023, to 6/30/2030. Appropriates funds for the illegal fireworks task force. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

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.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO DECLARATION OF WATER SHORTAGE AND EMERGENCY.

Amends the conditions, manner, and areas in which the Commission on Water Resource Management can declare and provide notice of water shortages and emergencies. Limits the duration of a water shortage declaration to ninety days. Limits water usage restrictions imposed on a permittee or owner and operator to twenty per cent of the permittee's or owner and operator's last reported monthly use. Requires CWRM to maintain a list of names and postal or email addresses of persons who request notification of a water shortage declaration and send them a copy of a notice of a water shortage declaration whenever water shortage is declared. Effective 7/1/2040. (SD2)

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO OCEAN RECREATION MANAGEMENT.

Establishes a standard of state waters within three thousand feet seaward of the base line of the territorial sea as ocean recreation management areas. Prohibits commercial activity in ocean recreation management areas, except by a commercial use permit.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Expands the existing renewable energy technologies tax credit to cover claims made after 2025 for solar energy systems integrating battery storage or existing systems that are retrofitted to include battery storage.

WARD

RELATING TO WIND ENERGY.

Creates an offshore wind energy working group to generate a roadmap to define standards to consider in the developmental process for offshore wind energy. Requires the working group to submit a report to the legislature prior to the 2027 regular session.

WARD

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Categorizes electric bicycles into three classes based on speed and operation. Establishes regulations for electric bicycles. Requires electric bicycle manufacturers and distributors to apply a label to each electric bicycle specifying the classification number, top assisted speed, and motor wattage of the electric bicycle. Imposes licensure and insurance requirements for class three electric bicycles.

WARD

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Repeals the requirement imposed on the counties to allow for the construction of at least two accessory dwelling units on all residentially zoned lots. Establishes the accessory dwelling unit housing development program with the Hawaii Community Development Authority to award subsidies to individuals who build accessory dwelling units. Exempts those accessory dwelling units from general excise tax for the first 3 years of rental.

WARD

RELATING TO RESTORING RESPECT AND DIGNITY TO AMERICA'S ONLY ROYAL PALACE IN THE NATION.

Prohibits parking of motor vehicles on the grounds of Iolani Palace. Requires DAGS to remove the blacktop, parking area, and paid parking adjacent to Iolani Palace. Requires DLNR to develop and maintain a pedestrian area adjacent to Iolani Palace. Requires DAGS and DLNR to report on cost analysis.

WARD

RELATING TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT.

Prohibits licensed attorneys from representing clients in small claims court.

WARD

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE IX OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII RELATING TO RECREATIONAL CANNABIS.

Proposes a constitutional amendment that would legalize the possession and use of recreational cannabis by adults who are at least 21 years of age, as provided by law.

WARD

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Excludes from state income taxes the gross income, adjusted gross income, and taxable income derived from tips received by employees.

WARD

RELATING TO OFFICE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

Establishes the Office of Entrepreneurship. Creates a program in partnership with the Hawaii film and creative industries development special fund. Appropriates moneys to establish the Office of Entrepreneurship.

WARD

RELATING TO THE GENERAL EXCISE TAX.

Establishes a general excise tax holiday on the first Saturday of each month for small businesses within the State.

WARD

RELATING TO THEFT.

Provides that a person who commits theft of property or services the value of which does not exceed $750, commits theft in the second degree if the person was convicted two or more times for any theft offenses in the five years prior to the current offense.

WARD

RELATING TO WAGES.

Caps the minimum wage at $15 per hour. Adjusts the schedule for the tip credit increase.

WARD