Bills & Legislation

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

RELATING TO IRONWORKERS.

Prohibits any person from disassembling, dismantling, or demolishing iron projects unless the person has completed an apprenticeship program for ironworkers approved and registered with the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations. Establishes penalties. Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to adopt rules.

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Exempts the sale of groceries and nonprescription drugs from the general excise tax. Incrementally increases the general excise tax over four years, with the increased proceeds during certain fiscal years to be deposited into the general fund. Removes the state income tax on unemployment compensation benefits. Doubles the standard deduction for individuals earning less than $100,000 and joint returns earning less than $200,000. Repeals the incremental increases on standard income tax deduction amounts. Increases the minimum income threshold and exemption amount for the low-income household renters' income tax credit. Removes the tax liability for the first $100,000 of individual income earned. Establishes the Maui Recovery Special Fund to be used for recovery programs related to the 2023 Maui wildfires. Appropriates funds. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024.

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires the Department of Education to establish and administer a two-year school librarian pilot program to provide funding for qualifying schools to hire librarians. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Jenna TakenouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO CRIMES AGAINST ELDERS.

Establishes strict liability for crimes against elders with respect to the attendant circumstance that the victim was seventy years of age or older. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD2)

Jenna TakenouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO TRESPASSING.

Prohibits loitering or camping near state-owned streambanks. Authorizes law enforcement or authorized personnel to remove individuals after notice. Appropriates funds to support enforcement, public education, and environmental restoration efforts.

Jenna TakenouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO MICROPLASTICS.

Establishes a microplastic filtration rebate program within the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Jenna TakenouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL TOURISM.

Establishes statewide, uniform standards to promote agricultural tourism activities in the State for all counties that have adopted an agricultural tourism ordinance. Requires agricultural tourism activities to be registered by the county planning department. Requires agricultural tourism activities to coexist with an agricultural activity on a farming operation and requires termination of the agricultural tourism activities upon cessation of the agricultural activity, except under certain circumstances. Makes conforming amendments. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Kirstin KahaloaDemocrat

RELATING TO SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS.

Establishes the Statewide Interagency Food Systems Coordination Team and the Interagency Food Systems Working Group within the Department of Agriculture. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Kirstin KahaloaDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Kirstin KahaloaDemocrat

RELATING TO CHIROPRACTIC.

Allows students enrolled in certain qualifying chiropractic colleges to engage in clinical practice as part of their college instruction if directly supervised by a qualified licensed chiropractor. Requires the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic to adopt rules. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Sean QuinlanDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

Establishes the Office of the State Architect within the Department of Accounting and General Services to be headed by the State Architect. Authorizes the State Architect to organize, manage, and oversee the design review of all state construction projects and issue design approvals. Establishes the Design Review Special Fund. Requires the State Architect to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature. Authorizes DAGS to provide centralized design review services for state construction projects and issue design approvals through the State Architect. Exempts state construction projects from county building permit, inspection, and certificate of occupancy requirements, subject to certain conditions. Makes appropriations.

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO IMPACT FEES.

Authorizes condominium associations and planned community associations located in a zoning district that allows for transient vacation rentals to impose an impact fee on owners or members who use their units as transient vacation rentals. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS.

Requires transient accommodations brokers and any other persons or entities to offer, list, advertise, or display a transient accommodations rental rate that includes all resort fees required for the furnishing of transient accommodations. Requires transient accommodations brokers and any other persons or entities to include all applicable taxes and fees imposed by a government on the stay in the total price to be paid before the consumer reserves the furnishing of transient accommodations. Establishes penalties. Effective 1/1/3000. (HD1)

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY.

Requires the Department of Budget and Finance to enter into step-in agreements for payment obligations arising under certain power purchase agreements. Establishes the Power Purchase Costs Trust Fund. Establishes that money collected from on-bill charges for power purchase agreements and money received from a surcharge supporting a reserve account that are deposited in the Trust Fund shall be held in trust by the State, and that independent power producers shall hold a beneficial interest in the moneys to the extent of the amounts owed under the covered power purchase agreements. Appoints, authorizes, and empowers an electric utility to serve as the billing, collection, and payment agent of the Department of Budget and Finance in the service of performing step-in agreements. (SD1)

Nicole E. LowenDemocrat

RELATING TO CARBON SEQUESTRATION INCENTIVES.

Codifies and makes permanent the Hawaii Carbon Smart Land Management Assistance Program under the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nicole E. LowenDemocrat

RELATING TO RENEWABLE FUEL.

Amends the renewable fuels production tax credit by: increasing the tax credit rate; specifying that the credit may be claimed for fuels that meet certain lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions and product transportation emissions thresholds; adding credit values for low lifecycle emissions renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuels produced; allowing a taxpayer who previously claimed a credit to claim another credit for taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024; amending the credit period to be for a maximum period of ten consecutive years beginning from the effective date of this Act; and amending the required information in the certified statement. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Nicole E. LowenDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY FINANCING.

Authorizes the Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund to be used to provide financial assistance to underserved ratepayers, in addition to other eligible borrowers. Appropriates funds into and out of the Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Nicole E. LowenDemocrat

RELATING TO ELECTRIC UTILITIES.

Provides the Public Utilities Commission the authority to appoint a receiver to take temporary action necessary to assure continued adequate electric services from regulated investor-owned electric utilities. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nicole E. LowenDemocrat

RELATED TO SUMMARY POSSESSION.

Requires that a current general excise tax license number for any rental income be filed with the complaint to the court for summary possession proceedings. Requires the Judiciary to submit an annual list of certain information regarding summary possession cases to the Department of Taxation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Scot Z. MatayoshiDemocrat

RELATING TO ANIMALS.

Amends the law authorizing the killing of mongoose by clarifying the circumstances under which mongoose may be killed and authorizing feral chickens to be killed under certain circumstances. (HD1)

Scot Z. MatayoshiDemocrat

RELATING TO ATTORNEYS' FEES.

Limits the accrued attorneys' fees and costs in matters relating to, or actions brought as a result of, construction defects to twenty-five per cent of the recovery amount. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Scot Z. MatayoshiDemocrat

RELATING TO WILDFIRES.

Establishes a working group within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to conduct a study concerning the creation of a Wildfire Recovery Fund. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Scot Z. MatayoshiDemocrat

RELATING TO CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS.

Establishes an alternative pathway to licensure for certified public accountant license applicants by permitting applicants to demonstrate completion of an additional twelve months of professional experience in the practice of public accountancy or completion of no less than an additional thirty semester hours of study. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Scot Z. MatayoshiDemocrat

RELATING TO PESTICIDE DRIFT MONITORING.

Appropriates funding to the department of agriculture to continue the statewide pesticide drift monitoring study.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE PESTICIDE USE REVOLVING FUND.

Increases the ceiling of the pesticide use revolving fund. Effective July 1, 2025.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Prohibits a procurement officer from disclosing a competing offeror's proposal or evaluation scores, except the summary of scores, during a debriefing requested by a non-selected offeror. Authorizes the disclosure of a competing offeror's proposal or evaluation scores after a protest is resolved and the contract is executed. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO PLANS.

Removes outdated requirements for plans filed with the registrar's office. Updates the permissible drawing scales used in plans. Clarifies statutory fees are pursuant to rules adopted by the Department of Accounting and General Services. Authorizes the Department of Accounting and General Services to approve the format of plans. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO SOLICITATION OF FUNDS FROM THE PUBLIC.

Revises registration, fee, reporting, and enforcement requirements for charitable fundraising platforms and platform charities that solicit funds from the public. Removes duplication of registration, fee, and reporting requirements for charitable fundraising platforms and platform charities. Effective 1/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH AND MORALS.

Clarifies that the definition of "profits from prostitution" includes any money or property accepted or received from the proceeds of prostitution activity even if it is accepted or received as the reimbursement or repayment of a debt. Restructures provisions that define terms or establish exemptions for part I of chapter 712, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to enhance readability. Makes technical amendments to update statutory references to part I of chapter 712, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO ABOLITION OF JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY FOR GOVERNMENT ENTITIES IN HIGHWAY-RELATED CIVIL ACTIONS.

Amends sections 663-10.5 and 663-10.9, HRS, to abolish joint and several liability for government entities in claims and cases relating to the maintenance and design of highways under chapter 663, HRS, so that government entities would be liable only for the percentage share of the damages actually attributable to them.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO COURT-ORDERED PAYMENTS.

Requires the Judiciary to contract with a collection agency or licensed attorney to collect delinquent court-ordered fees, fines, sanctions, and court costs. Repeals the authority of the Judiciary to contract with a collection agency or licensed attorney to collect delinquent restitution. Expressly allows courts to specify a period of time or installments for payment of fees and restitution. Requires courts to hold payment compliance hearings once per year or as soon as practicable, until all fees, fines, and restitution are fully paid, and requires a defendant to appear and show cause if the defendant fails to pay in full within a time specified by the court or fails to pay three consecutive installments. Makes corresponding amendments to related statutes.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO WATER POLLUTION.

Amends section 200-14, HRS, to clarify that enforcement of criminal water pollution offenses remains under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health, rather than the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO GEOGRAPHICAL RESTRICTIONS.

Establishes limitations on geographical restrictions provided as a condition of probation. (HD1)

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREARMS.

Establishes prohibitions on assault rifles, assault shotguns, and .50 caliber rifles. Expands the ban on high-capacity detachable magazines. (HD1)

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT.

Prohibits state contractors, prospective state contractors, holders of procurement prequalification certificates, or principals of these groups from making contributions to, or soliciting contributions from their employees or from subcontractors or principals of subcontractors on behalf of, certain candidate committees, noncandidate committees, and political party committees. Requires the Procurement Policy Board to adopt rules to issue prequalification certificates to prospective contractors for public buildings or other public works. Amends the contribution limits for certain individuals and noncandidate committees. Prohibits lobbyists and certain persons related to lobbyists from soliciting contributions from client lobbyists. Increases the administrative fines.

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO THE ENFORCEMENT OF FIREWORKS LAWS.

Appropriates moneys to the county police departments to enforce applicable fireworks laws, subject to certain conditions.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO SEXUAL OFFENSES.

Provides for a sentence of death or life imprisonment without possibility of parole upon a conviction for sex trafficking. Requires a separate sentencing proceeding by a jury, except if waived by the defendant, for a conviction for sex trafficking. Makes commercial sexual exploitation a class A felony. Makes conforming amendments.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO THE NURSE LICENSURE COMPACT.

Authorizes the Governor to enter the State into a multistate Nurse Licensure Compact that will allow a nurse who is licensed by a home state to practice under a multistate licensure privilege in each party state. Beginning 7/1/20 , requires each person who holds a multistate nurse license issued by another state and is employed by a health care facility to complete annual demographic data surveys. Authorizes the State Board of Nursing to charge different fees for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who hold a multistate license issued by the State. Provides that the Nurse Licensure Compact shall become effective and binding in the State two years after the Act takes effect.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION.

Classifies certain former military vehicles as special interest vehicles. Enables owners of former military vehicles to apply for registration. Effective 1/1/2026.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN SEXUALITY HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULUM.

Requires that student health and sexuality health education programs include discussion of fetal growth and development. Outlines specific content to be included.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.

Establishes a working group for legal services for youth in the child welfare system within the Judiciary. Appropriates funds for the working group. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.

Clarifies the grounds for an appeal of non-renewal or revocation of a charter contract. Authorizes public charters schools to appeal directly to the Board of Education on matters regarding the schools' operations, governance, or funding, with certain exceptions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Justin H. WoodsonDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Education to conduct a study on methods to support department schools that may be impacted by electric utilities' planned public safety power shutoff program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Justin H. WoodsonDemocrat

RELATING TO STUDENT HEALTH.

Authorizes a school to maintain a stock supply of bronchodilators to be administered under certain conditions. Authorizes certain employees of a school and department personnel to administer certain medication in emergency situations, under certain conditions. Amends prescription drug labeling requirements to include certain information related to a school, if applicable. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Justin H. WoodsonDemocrat

RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.

Requires the State Public Charter School Commission to submit an annual report on public charter schools before the opening day of each Regular Session of the Legislature. Requires the Board of Education to review and approve the annual report before the report is issued to the Governor, Legislature, and the public. Takes effect 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Justin H. WoodsonDemocrat

RELATING TO AMBULANCES.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Health to purchase of one advanced life support ambulance and related equipment to be based in central Maui, fund pay-related personnel costs for state-certified emergency medical services personnel, and increase the predictability and stability of available air ambulance services for all islands in the State. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Justin H. WoodsonDemocrat