Bills & Legislation

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

RELATING TO A COMPENSATORY TIME CASH-OUT PILOT PROGRAM.

Establishes a Compensatory Time Cash-Out Pilot Program for eligible employees of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation who work in any state correctional facility. Appropriates funds.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DWELLING UNIT REVOLVING FUND.

Establishes the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Program. Repeals the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Pilot Program. Clarifies that the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation may utilize funds in the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund for the purchase of equity in for-sale housing development projects and interim primary or secondary financing.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, establishes a pilot program that requires the Department of Education to include cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator training for public school students in grades six through twelve as part of existing health or physical education curriculum. Requires all public elementary, middle, intermediate, and high schools in the state to have a cardiac emergency response plan as part of the pilot program. Establishes standards for the cardiac emergency response plan. Requires school officials to work with county emergency medical service providers to integrate the cardiac emergency response plan into the counties' emergency response plan into the counties' emergency medical service provider protocols. Authorizes uncertified trainers to instruct others in the administration of an automated external defibrillator or cardiopulmonary resuscitation if the course does not result in certification. Terminates at the end of the 2029-2030 school year.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO VOTING.

Requires the Department of Human Services' Med-QUEST division to automatically transmit applicants' voter registration information to the Office of Elections and clerk of the county of the applicant's residence, subject to certain conditions. Authorizes the Office of Elections to designate state agencies for automatic voter registration if the agency collects, processes, or stores certain information. Updates methods for automatic voter registration conducted by the Examiner of Drivers. Makes conforming amendments. Effective 1/30/2026.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Clarifies that the dwelling units eligible for the Rent-to-Own Program shall be units that are for sale in fee simple or leasehold on state or county land under a lease with an initial term of not less than ninety-nine years. Increases the time period that the sales price of dwelling units under the Rent-to-Own Program shall remain fixed from five years to ten years after the rental agreement is executed. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Establishes a working group to revise the State's Qualified Allocation Plan, the prioritization of the Rental Housing Revolving Fund, and the terms of loans made from the RHRF. Requires a report to the Legislature.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION.

Makes an application for voter registration part of certain state agency application processes. Requires the sharing of certain information among certain state agencies, election personnel, and online voter registration system.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO DEPOSITS OF PUBLIC FUNDS.

Requires the Director of Finance to consider, before the selection of a depository for the state treasury, the beneficial effects to the State of using depositories within the State, including but not limited to lending at favorable terms for the creation of certain affordable housing units. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Requires eligible applicants of the Rental Housing Revolving Fund to be either governmental agencies or organizations that are required to use all financial surplus, excluding fees, to develop additional housing in the State. (SD1)

Stanley ChangDemocrat

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.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO LEAF BLOWERS.

Defines "residential zone" for purposes of leaf blower restrictions to include residential districts, apartment districts, and business mixed use districts.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO INTOXICATING LIQUOR.

Restricts the sale of liquor under temporary liquor licenses to confined and demarcated spaces not located on public streets, roads, sidewalks, or pedestrian walkways. Applies restrictions to temporary liquor licenses granted to nonprofit organizations.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS.

Establishes enhanced penalties for multiple violations of the same liquor law by licensees in a county with a population of 500,000 or more, under certain circumstances.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.

Allows the Department of Human Services to administer and provide public assistance to eligible residents of the State during a Governor-declared state of emergency. Allows the Department of Human Services to expend funds from the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund to provide public assistance to eligible residents during a Governor-declared state of emergency. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO ALGORITHMIC DISCRIMINATION.

Prohibits users of algorithmic decision-making from utilizing algorithmic eligibility determinations in a discriminatory manner. Requires users of algorithmic decision-making to send corresponding notices to individuals whose personal information is used. Requires users of algorithmic decision-making to submit annual reports to the Department of the Attorney General. Provides means of civil enforcement.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCING FOR CANDIDATES TO ELECTED OFFICE.

Establishes a comprehensive system of public financing for all candidates seeking election to state and county public offices in the State of Hawaii, to begin with the 2028 general election year. Requires the Campaign Spending Commission to submit reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Establishes as a deceptive practice advertising, displaying, or offering a price for goods or services that does not include all mandatory fees or charges, subject to certain exceptions. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO TERMINAL ILLNESSES.

Authorizes manufacturers of investigational drugs or biological products that are pending approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration to make the drugs or products available to terminally ill patients under certain conditions. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL.

Requires the State Building Code Council to assess the financial impact of the adoption of a code or standard on single-family and multi-family homes. Requires the State Building Code Council to also include amortized utility costs when adopting codes or standards. Amends annual reporting requirements for the State Building Code Council to include assessment of costs and determinations of benefits for residents.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE RENTAL HOUSING REVOLVING FUND.

Repeals statutory language requiring certain housing projects have at least five per cent of available units be for persons and families with incomes at or below thirty per cent of the median family income to be eligible for loans from the Rental Housing Revolving Fund. Repeals statutory language providing grants to developers for rental units set aside for persons and families with incomes at or below thirty per cent of the median family income in any project financed in part or in whole by the Rental Housing Revolving Fund. Repeals statutory language requiring the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to establish an application process for Rental Housing Revolving Fund allocation that gives preference to projects providing units for persons and families with incomes at or below thirty per cent of the median family income.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION.

Makes an application for voter registration part of the enrollment applications or course registration process for Department of Education high schools. Requires eligible student applicants to be given the choice to be registered to vote. Requires updating of names and addresses of eligible student applicants who are already registered to vote unless the applicant declines. Requires the sharing of certain information among the counties, Department of Education, election personnel, and online voter registration system.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE FINANCES.

Authorizes the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to utilize revenue bonds when securing a line of credit or other instrument of indebtedness for the Bond Volume Cap Recycling Program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH.

Requires the Department of Education to identify an absence due to the mental health of a student as an excused absence. Defines the term "excused absence". Exempts an absence due to the mental health of a student from the enforcement of penalties relating to compulsory attendance at school. Limits the number of excused absences that may be taken by a student due to mental health reasons.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH.

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires all public and private schools that serve students in grades 6 through 12 and issue student identification cards to have information on mental health and suicide prevention hotlines printed on the student identification cards. Establishes exceptions and penalties.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE RENTAL HOUSING REVOLVING FUND.

Establishes the Housing Efficiency and Innovation Subaccount within the Rental Housing Revolving Fund. Specifies permissible uses of funding and priorities. Authorizes the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to transfer moneys between the Housing Efficiency and Innovation Subaccount and the RHRF without legislative approval. (SD1)

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE LEGISLATURE.

Establishes a temporary working group to study the feasibility of transitioning the Hawaii State Legislature's Regular Session from one that meets for three and a half months from mid-January to early May, to one that meets on a year-round basis. Requires the Legislative Reference Bureau to provide administrative support to the working group. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HANALEI BAY.

Prohibits vessels longer than seventy-five feet from entering Hanalei Bay except for vessels operated by a federal, state, or county agency. Requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to define boundaries of Hanalei Bay by rule. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NINETEENTH REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT.

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the nineteenth representative district.

Mark J. HashemDemocrat

RELATING TO SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.

Clarifies the funding mechanism for the supportive housing pilot program. Extends the sunset date for the supportive housing pilot program to 6/30/2030.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO FINANCING.

Establishes and appropriates funds for a cesspool conversion on-bill financing program to be administered by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority to provide low-interest loans to eligible homeowners for the upgrade, conversion, or connection of cesspools. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS.

Requires a wireless telecommunications carrier, as a condition for any permit under section 206N-6 or certificate of public convenience and necessity under section 269-7.5, to maintain emergency backup power for a minimum of twelve hours.

Gene WardRepublican

RELATING TO FARMS.

Creates an exclusion from income tax for the first $50,000 of gross income earned by farmers. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Gene WardRepublican

RELATING TO CANNABIS.

Requires the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division of the Department of Health to develop and implement a comprehensive messaging and informational campaign to prevent cannabis use among the State's youth. Requires the Division to establish and enter into contracts with community-based organizations to award grants to prevent substance misuse among youth through evidenced-based prevention programs. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Gregg TakayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO CRIME.

Includes individuals involved in organized crime among the persons who may be subjected to extended terms of imprisonment for the commission of felonies.

Julie Reyes OdaRepublican

RELATING TO SUNSHINE LAWS.

Designates the neighborhood commission as the appropriate oversight authority for application of the sunshine law to neighborhood boards. Authorizes neighborhood boards to discuss official government reports without placing it on the agenda, provided that no decision-making can be made.

Julie Reyes OdaRepublican

RELATING TO HOUSING PREFERENCE.

Authorizes the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to allow projects to grant preferences in the sale or lease of housing units to applicants who live or work within five miles of the project. Takes effect 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Luke A. EvslinDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS.

Allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to utilize the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund as collateral when the Department acts as an eligible borrower for a loan agreement under section 184A of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, as amended. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Mahina PoepoeDemocrat