Bills & Legislation

RELATED TO CARE HOMES.

Increases the state supplemental payment ceilings for type I adult residential care homes, licensed developmental disabilities domiciliary homes, community care foster family homes, certified adult foster homes, and type II adult residential care homes.

AQUINO

RELATING TO THE HAWAII BROADBAND AND DIGITAL EQUITY OFFICE.

Transfers the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to the Office of Enterprise Technology Services in the Department of Accounting and General Services. Establishes the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Special Fund. Appropriates funds.

AQUINO

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Allows newly graduated high school students to be eligible for workers' compensation coverage during the summer following their high school graduation while participating in Department of Education-sponsored work-based learning programs.

AQUINO

RELATING TO LONG DURATION CLEAN ENERGY STORAGE.

Amends the Hawaii renewable hydrogen program and hydrogen investment capital special fund to include a broader focus on long duration clean energy storage. Transfers responsibility for the program to the Hawaii State Energy Office. Appropriates funds.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO LAND USE.

Temporarily allows each county, by resolution of its county council, to petition for the redistricting of land from an agricultural district to a rural district through the Land Use Commission's declaratory ruling process. Effective 7/1/2026. Sunsets 6/30/2029.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE.

Requires owners, lessees, or managers of real property to maintain their property and establish penalties for failure to do so. Allows for exceptions.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE SHRIMP.

Establishes the ‘ōpae ‘ula as the state shrimp to protect anchialine pool ecosystems throughout Hawaii.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO AN AIRPORTS CORPORATION.

Establishes the Hawaii Airports Corporation (HAC)to assume the authority, functions, and duties of the Department of Transportation related to airports and aeronautics. Makes HAC subject to chapters 103D and 104, HRS. Provides for project labor agreements. Appropriates funds for the transfer of functions from DOT to HAC.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

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 MOTOR VEHICLES.

Limits the required payment of certain unpaid motor vehicle taxes and fees and accompanying financial penalties to those incurred during the most recent 5 consecutive years of delinquency.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION SAFETY.

Requires the driver's license examination to test the applicant's knowledge of the dangers that larger motor vehicles present to pedestrians and bicyclists. Requires persons who commit the offense of excessively speeding or habitually driving while intoxicated to retake and pass the driver's license examination for each offense.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Establishes the offense of theft of a bicycle. Establishes the first offense of theft of a bicycle as a misdemeanor. Establishes the second and each subsequent offense that occurs within five years of a prior conviction for theft of a bicycle as a class C felony.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

Amends the Hawaii Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Act by adding the definition of common entity and expanding the definition of sale or selling. Allows a licensed dealer or distributor to protest before the board for damages against another dealer or distributor. Establishes a dispute resolution process for manufacturers and distributors to contest the accuracy of a dealer's reimbursement for parts and labor.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Administratively attaches the State Highway Safety and Modernization Council to the Department of Transportation. Allows council members to appoint their designees. Updates membership of the Council.

Chris LeeDemocrat

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 HOUSING.

Requires certain landlords to provide a specified notice to a tenant regarding the tenant's potential right to purchase the property, under certain conditions. Allows tenants, families, local governments, affordable housing nonprofits, and community land trusts forty-five days to match or beat the best bona fide offer to buy an eligible affordable housing property.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO TOURISM.

Requires annual submission of an updated tourism functional plan by the Hawaiian Tourism Authority, subject to available funding.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

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 1/1/2026.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO ASSISTED REPRODUCTION.

Establishes a streamlined procedure for determining parentage in cases of assisted reproduction.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII FARM TO FOOD BANK PROGRAM.

Establishes the Hawaii Farm to Food Bank Program and Hawaii Food Assistance Program Special Fund to alleviate food shortages in the State. Appropriates funds into and out of the Hawaii Food Assistance Program Special Fund.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

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

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Establishes the Agricultural Development and Food Security Special Fund. Requires a portion of the Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax to be deposited into the special fund. Appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture in an amount equal to three per cent of the State Budget.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO VACANT STATE POSITIONS.

Requires that state public service positions vacant for longer than 2 years be removed from the state budget.

Kurt FevellaRepublican

RELATING TO LAND COURT.

Establishes a working group to reform or eliminate the land court in Hawaii.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION.

Makes the members of the Elections Commission subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO GREEN BONDS.

Establishes a Green Bonds Working Group within the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, to determine the feasibility of a green bond financing program for the State.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY.

Short form bill.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO HOMELESS YOUTH.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services to provide emergency shelter and services to unaccompanied homeless youth.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO LAULAU DAY.

Designates May 1 of each year as "Laulau Day" in the State.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

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

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the 15th senatorial district.

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO INTOXICATING LIQUOR.

Defines low alcohol by volume spirits beverages. Establishes lower tax rates for class 18 small craft producer pub licensees, including for low alcohol by volume spirits beverages.

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Amends the definition of draft beer to mean beer in an individual container of five gallons or more.

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO ALCOHOL.

Establishes a definition of "low alcohol by volume spirits beverage". Beginning 7/1/2025, establishes a tax on low alcohol by volume spirits beverages at a rate of $1.10 per wine gallon. Takes effect 6/30/2025.

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO A STATE HOTEL.

Requires the Hawaii Tourism Authority and School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to collaborate to actively plan for the design, construction, and operations and management of a state hotel. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES.

Makes it a deceptive practice to advertise, display, or offer a price for goods or services that does not include all mandatory fees or charges, with certain exceptions.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO RECYCLING.

Allows manufacturers to coordinate activities directly related to the recycling of covered electronic devices. Expands the scope of covered electronic devices to include electronic device peripherals and certain legacy devices. Requires manufacturers to provide free collection service locations and collection events.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS.

Transfers the Hawaii Child Nutrition Programs Agency from the Department of Education to the Department of Agriculture and codifies its establishment. Establishes a grant program to be administered by the Agency to support the funding of certain initiatives for the State's public schools. Appropriates funds for grants.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO SENTENCING.

Requires the court to impose a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment without possibility of parole or probation for a person convicted of a sexual assault offense.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE.

Requires the Department of Health to conduct a study on the adequacy of long-term care on the island of Molokai. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY ASSISTANCE.

Establishes the Hawaii Home Energy Assistance Program within the Department of Human Services to assist qualifying households in paying their energy bills. Requires the Public Utilities Commission Public Benefits Fee Administrator to provide certain assistants to recipients of the program. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds.

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Education for teacherrequested classroom supplies.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires the Department of Education to implement dyslexiasensitive universal screenings and evidence-based interventions, offer professional development on structured literacy and evidenced-based interventions, and support pre-teacher programs in training candidates in structured literary instruction.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.

Requires the Department of Health to establish and administer a three-year Rural Community Health Worker Pilot Program that enables community health workers to provide outreach, education, training, and navigation to individuals residing in rural communities in the State and address social determinants of health. Appropriates funds.

Dru Mamo KanuhaDemocrat