Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO TAX INCREMENT FINANCING.

Authorizes the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to apply to the counties for tax increment financing. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, requires that each Department of Education public school student earn 2 credits in Hawaiian language as a graduation requirement. Establishes a 2-year pilot program for Hawaiian language instruction at a central Oahu elementary school and Nanakuli High and Intermediate School. Appropriates funds.

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Establishes a tax credit for individual and corporate taxpayers who install and place in service certain projects that support environmental sustainability.

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

Establishes the Affordable Housing Land Inventory Task Force within the Hawaii Community Development Authority to update the Affordable Rental Housing Report and Ten-Year Plan maps, tier tables, and inventories of state lands suitable and available for affordable housing development. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO THE CENTER FOR CLIMATE RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT.

Appropriates funds for the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology within the University of Hawaii to establish and operate a Center for Climate Resilient Development.

Ikaika HusseyDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.

Prohibits boards from beginning or continuing meetings after 9:00 p.m., excluding county council meetings.

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO PLANT CARE COMPONENTS.

Authorizes the Department of Agriculture to adopt rules related to the Plant Care Component Program. Prohibits distributing plant care components that originated outside the State unless it was subjected to treatment before arrival. Establishes administrative penalties to enforce the Plant Care Component Program. Appropriates funds and establishes positions for purposes of the Plant Care Component Program. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Sean QuinlanDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires the department of education to equip all classroom doors with interior locks, maintain a public address system, feature an emergency access route, and maintain fire alarms. Mandates the establishment of school emergency plans. Requires schools conduct regular testing and emergency preparedness drills. Appropriates funds.

Lauren MatsumotoRepublican

RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

Requires the Office of the Auditor to perform a comprehensive forensic audit of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and Department of Accounting and General Services related to the planning, design, financing, construction, and maintenance of a new jail to replace the Oahu Community Correctional Center. Requires a report. Appropriates funds.

Kim Coco IwamotoDemocrat

RELATING TO OFFICE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

Establishes the Office of Entrepreneurship. Authorizes the use of the Hawaii Film and Creative Industries Development Special Fund to fund a program in partnership with the Office that creates opportunities in film, media, electronic sports, and creative industries for new businesses. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Lauren MatsumotoRepublican

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Establishes a high school law enforcement curriculum-to-career pipeline initiative. Appropriates funds to develop and implement the program.

Lauren MatsumotoRepublican

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

Requires motor vehicle safety inspections to be conducted every two years rather than annually.

Lauren MatsumotoRepublican

RELATING TO STATUTORY REVISION: AMENDING OR REPEALING VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE HAWAII REVISED STATUTES OR THE SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII FOR THE PURPOSES OF CORRECTING ERRORS AND REFERENCES, CLARIFYING LANGUAGE, OR DELETING OBSOLETE OR UNNECESSARY PROVISIONS.

Amends or repeals various provisions of the Hawaii Revised Statutes or the Session Laws of Hawaii for the purposes of correcting errors and references, clarifying language, or deleting obsolete or unnecessary provisions.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO VEHICLE MILEAGE.

Requires employers to reimburse employees for vehicle mileage expenses incurred when using their personal vehicle to carry out employee duties or at the direction of the employer.

Adrian K. TamDemocrat

RELATING TO THEFT.

Creates the offense of organized retail theft. Provides penalties for organized retail theft. Creates an organized retail theft task force.

Lauren MatsumotoRepublican

RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX EXEMPTIONS.

Establishes a general excise tax exemption on the gross proceeds or gross income received from sales of commodities or services that benefit nonprofit schools. Effective 1/1/3000. (HD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO GAMING.

Establishes the Hawaii Lottery and Gaming Corporation for the purpose of conducting and regulating wagering and gaming in the State. Establishes the Lottery and Gaming Special Fund and allocates certain percentages of the fund to various community betterment purposes.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO THE ALOHA SPIRIT, CIVICS, AND DEMOCRACY.

Establishes the Hawaii Civics Collaborative within the Department of Accounting and General Services to promote civics engagement and perpetuate the Aloha Spirit. Requires the Department of Education, University of Hawaii Matsunaga Institute for Peace, Public Access Room, and other community organizations to facilitate civic engagement education statewide. Establishes two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) civic education specialist positions within the Department of Education. Appropriates funds.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO EVICTION MEDIATION.

Beginning 2/5/2026, extends the period for a notice of termination of a rental agreement; requires landlords to engage in mediation and delay filing an action for summary possession if a tenant schedules mediation; and requires landlords to provide specific information in the 10‑calendar-day notice to tenants. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. Repeals 2/4/2027. (HD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO ORAL HEALTH.

Establishes an Oral Health Task Force to review the status of oral health in the State and make recommendations to improve the State's oral health infrastructure. Establishes temporary full-time equivalent program specialist V positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Adds loan funds administered by Nonprofit Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) for certain for-sale affordable housing projects to list of loan priorities for the Affordable Homeownership Revolving Fund. Expands use of funds in the revolving fund to allow financing as matching funds for CDFIs to mobilize other funding sources. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO FOREIGN MEDICAL GRADUATES.

Allows foreign medical school graduates applying for a license to practice medicine and surgery to substitute one year of required medical training or experience in a hospital with one year of fellowship training where the parent program or hospital is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Appropriates funds for the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to allocate to housing counseling agencies certified by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide housing counseling services. Requires a report to the Legislature regarding services provided by the housing counseling agencies. Takes effect 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Establishes a definition for "premium cigar" that is distinct from a "large cigar" and adds a definition for "characterizing flavor" in the Cigarette Tax and Tobacco Tax Law. Excludes premium cigars from percentage excise tax. Establishes an excise tax at a rate of 50 cents per premium cigar.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FIFTEENTH, SIXTEENTH, AND SEVENTEENTH REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS.

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth representative districts.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Requires, for tenancies greater than 90 days, a landlord to notify a tenant of any intent to raise the rent for any subsequent rental agreement or any intent to terminate a rental agreement 60 days before the expiration of the original rental agreement. Requires 90 day's notice for a landlord or tenant to terminate tenancies of three years or more and 60 days' notice to terminate tenancies of less than three years, with certain exceptions. Increases the amount of notice required to terminate tenancies that are less than month-to-month.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO EVICTION RECORDS.

Requires that all court records of any eviction proceeding be sealed within specified timeframes upon resolution of the proceeding. Authorizes the court to seal certain eviction records prior to the expiration of these timeframes upon motion by a tenant who is able to demonstrate that certain conditions apply. Requires the clerk of the court to provide access to sealed eviction records to the tenant. Makes it a discriminatory practice to require a person to disclose a sealed eviction record as a condition of certain real property transactions. Prohibits discrimination in real property transactions against a person with a sealed eviction record.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO RED HILL.

Establishes a Water Alliance Initiative Policy Coordinator for coordination of Red Hill WAI initiatives. Creates the Red Hill Remediation Special Fund. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS.

Authorizes the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to utilize funds in the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund as collateral when DHHL is an eligible borrower of a loan guaranteed by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to the Housing and Community Development Act, as amended, subject to approval of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Appropriates funds. (SD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS.

Establishes a permitted interaction group within the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Appropriates funds to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to continue geophysical data collection, investigation, exploration, and identification of geothermal resources on Hawaiian home lands. Authorizes DHHL to hire consultants. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO CHIROPRACTIC.

Beginning 7/1/2027, allows chiropractic students enrolled in a qualified chiropractic college 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 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

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.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Establishes processes and requirements for associations to impose fines against unit owners, tenants, and guests for violations of the declaration, bylaws, or house rules. Prohibits associations from charging attorneys' fees with respect to any fines that are not deemed collectable. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Establishes the eighth day of August of each year as "Hawaii Disaster Drill Day". Requires the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with all state departments and agencies, to conduct drills and perform other activities for that day. (SD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Allows an insured to authorize the insurer to electronically remit claim proceeds to the insured's mortgagee when a homeowners insurance policy that covers a mortgaged property allows for the payment of proceeds by issuing a check. Requires a mortgagee in receipt of electronic delivery of claim proceeds to deliver the proceeds of the claim to the insured in accordance with the mortgage agreement and the insurance policy. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO ANTITRUST.

Prohibits the use of algorithmic price-setting in Hawaii's rental market. Requires the Department of the Attorney General to develop and undertake a public education program regarding the prohibition. Establishes fines and penalties. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Establishes a nonrefundable income tax credit for taxpayers that incur costs related to the design, materials, installation, and construction of hurricane-resistant safe rooms. Effective 7/1/2077. (SD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Requires the Office of Elections to establish three additional voting centers in a county with a population of five hundred thousand or more. Requires a report to the Legislature.

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO THE LABELING OF MACADAMIA NUTS.

Specifies that the macadamia nut labeling requirements apply if the applicable products are produced in whole or in part from Hawaii-grown and Hawaii-processed macadamia nuts. Effective 1/2/2026.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY.

Authorizes state facilities to wheel electricity produced by their own facility from renewable energy sources to other state facilities pursuant to administrative rules or orders established by the Public Utilities Commission. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to submit a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Requires the Procurement Policy Board to adopt rules requiring contracts to impose mandatory fines or provide for termination of a contract for default if a contractor fails to perform the contractor's duties or if there is a major delay in a deliverable. Requires each contract to establish a schedule of deliverables and to specify what constitutes a "major delay".

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO SMALL BUSINESS LOANS.

Establishes the Hawaii start-up business loan program. Establishes the Hawaii start-up business loan program special fund. Requires DBEDT to submit an annual report to the Legislature regarding the program. Appropriates funds.

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO ATTACHMENT AND EXECUTION OF REAL PROPERTY.

Increases the real property exemption amount for attachment or execution. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO LEGISLATIVE EMPLOYEES.

Repeals staff of the legislative branch of the State from the list of individuals not included in any appropriate bargaining unit. Specifies that the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each have one vote if they have employees in a particular bargaining unit for the purposes of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO MEDICAL INFORMED CONSENT.

Requires the Hawaii Medical Board to establish standards for health care providers to ensure that a patient's consent to treatment is an informed consent. Requires that informed consent for a proposed medical or surgical treatment or a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure shall be obtained before the day of that treatment or procedure. Specifies that if the treatment or procedure is to occur on the same day it is scheduled, the informed consent shall be obtained at the time the decision is made to schedule that treatment or procedure.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE.

No later than January 1, 2026, requires the Department of Accounting and General Services to install and maintain automated external defibrillators in all state buildings, including all public schools. Requires DAGS to establish a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan and work with the counties to implement the plan into the counties' emergency service provider protocols. Requires DAGS to provide trainings on the use of automated external defibrillators and the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation for state employees and security staff of certain state agencies. Makes appropriations.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERIES.

Establishes a two-year Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling and Reuse Working Group within the Hawaii State Energy Office. Requires the working group to examine how to maximize the recycling and reuse of electric vehicle batteries and recommend electric vehicle battery management practices. Requires a report to the Legislature. (SD1)

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Decreases the time period for the legislative body of a county to approve, approve with modification, or disapprove housing developments exempt from certain requirements pursuant to section 201H-38, HRS, from forty-five days to thirty days.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

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.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, requires the Department of Education to include the teaching of financial literacy in the personal transition plan requirement for each student.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat