Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Codifies net neutrality principles by prohibiting fixed and mobile internet service providers that provide broadband internet access service from engaging in certain practices concerning the treatment of internet traffic. Among other things, prohibits internet service providers from blocking internet traffic on the basis of internet content, application, or service, engaging in paid prioritization or zero-rating internet traffic in exchange for consideration, monetary or otherwise.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

Authorizes the Department of Health to adopt, by rule, any federal regulations as they existed on 1/1/2025, relating to the protection, preservation, care, and improvement of the physical and mental health of the people of the State that it deems to be in the public interest.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PARKINSON'S DISEASE RESEARCH.

Establishes the Parkinson's Disease Research Collection Database to be administered by the Department of Health, to house a collection of data on the incidence of Parkinson's disease in the State. Establishes the Parkinson's Disease Research Collection Database Advisory Committee. Requires the Department to create a Parkinson's disease research collection database webpage by 1/1/2026, and submit annual reports to the Legislature.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO FIREWORKS.

Reduces the offense of purchasing, possessing, setting off, igniting, or discharging aerial devices, display fireworks, or articles pyrotechnic under a weight of twenty-five pounds without a valid permit to a civil violation.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO A CHILD TAX CREDIT.

Establishes a refundable child tax credit. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

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. Authorizes an additional payment for resident clients residing in these homes when state funds for the state supplemental payment for a specific fiscal year are not fully expended, under certain circumstances.

AQUINO

RELATING TO CERTIFIED CAREGIVERS.

Lowers the minimum age that a certified caregiver for an adult foster home must be from twenty-one to eighteen.

AQUINO

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 AIR FILTERS.

Prohibits the sale and use of disposable air filters beginning January 1, 2030. Requires the State to establish reusable air filters as the new standard.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO BUILDING CODES.

Amends responsibilities of the State Building Code Council.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Establishes the Small Housing Provider Grant Program under Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to provide grants to eligible property owners of multi-family buildings for renovations, repairs, and addressing hazardous and unsafe living conditions. Appropriates funds.

Tina Nakada GrandinettiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE INSURANCE AFFORDABILITY ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM.

Establishes the Insurance Affordability Assistance Pilot Program within the Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to assist eligible homeowners with sudden increases in property insurance premiums. Sunsets 6/30/2028.

LA CHICA

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. Establishes conveyance tax rates for the sale of eligible affordable housing properties.

Tina Nakada GrandinettiDemocrat

RELATING TO BROADBAND SERVICE.

Requires a provider of broadband internet access services to be transparent with network management practices, performance, and commercial terms of its broadband internet access services. Prohibits a provider of broadband internet access services from blocking lawful websites, impairing or degrading lawful internet traffic, engaging in paid prioritization or application-specific differential pricing, or interfering with or disadvantaging users of broadband internet access services. Requires an applicant of a broadband-related permit seeking a state-granted or county-granted right to attach small cell or other broadband wireless communication devices to utility poles to comply with certain practices.

Tina Nakada GrandinettiDemocrat

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

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriated funds for capital improvement projects in the 18th representative district.

WARD

RELATING TO THE STATE AUDITOR.

Requires the State Auditor to conduct management and financial audits of Medicaid health care insurance contractors at least once every two years, with the first audit report to be submitted no later than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2027. Appropriates funds.

Amy A. PerrusoDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATIONS.

Requires that the fees for attorneys retained by a condominium association be paid from an association's funds or reserves, except for collection of delinquent common dues payments from owners. Limits the total and final legal fees to twenty-five per cent of the original debt amount. Requires attorneys retained by a condominium association to confine their communications to the condominium board, except when the attorneys must request and require materials and responses directly from owners for each matter. Prohibits attorneys retained by a condominium association from billing unit owners directly. Specifies the contents of an attorney's billing statement. Requires that a notice of default and intention to foreclose served on a unit owner affords the unit owner the opportunity to respond within thirty days after service of the notice.

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE CONVEYANCE TAX.

Establishes the Homeless Services Special Fund. Allows counties to apply for matching funds from the Affordable Homeownership Revolving Fund for certain housing projects. Increases the conveyance tax rates for certain properties. Establishes conveyance tax rates for multifamily residential properties. Establishes new exemptions to the conveyance tax. Allocates collected conveyance taxes to the Affordable Homeownership Revolving Fund, Homeless Services Fund, and Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund. Amends allocations to the Land Conservation Fund and Rental Housing Revolving Fund. Effective 7/1/2026.

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT.

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the twenty-fifth representative district.

Kim Coco IwamotoDemocrat

RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

Appropriates funds for the workforce development council to incorporate and implement a framework for the workforce diversification and expansion of the defense-related workforce in fields such as information technology, cybersecurity, intelligence, data science, and advanced manufacturing.

Sean QuinlanDemocrat

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 CRIME.

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

REYES ODA

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Prohibits health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations from arbitrarily denying coverage requests for gender affirming health care services when the requested service is known to be considered a standard of care and for which scientific evidence exists that supports the service. Increases transparency of insurance carrier medical necessity reviews and requirements when coverage is denied.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO PROSTITUTION.

Establishes penalties for property managers and owners of real property on or in which massage parlors or similar prostitution establishments are located. Requires workers to be treated as victims and offered resources. Appropriates funds.

Ikaika OldsDemocrat

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 ELECTIONS.

Replaces the boards of registration with on-call circuit judges to hear elections disputes.

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE IMMERSION EDUCATION.

Appropriate moneys to the Department of Education to establish a Hawaiian language immersion school, open to students in grades kindergarten through 12, that is located in the Leeward area of the island of Oahu.

REYES ODA

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Establishes a schedule of late fees to be added to the original unpaid claim amount if a health insurer, mutual benefit society, or health maintenance organization fails to pay a provider within the required time.

Cory M. ChunDemocrat

RELATING TO STREAM MAINTENANCE.

Establishes a two-year stream maintenance pilot program to be implemented by the City and County of Honolulu Department of Facility Maintenance. Appropriates funds.

Jenna TakenouchiDemocrat

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 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.

REYES ODA

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

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriated funds for capital improvement projects in the 40th representative district.

REYES ODA

RELATING TO OPIOID ANTAGONISTS.

Requires each Department of Education classroom to be equipped with an opioid antagonist. Requires the Department of Education to train employees on opioid-related drug overdose prevention, recognition, and response and opioid antagonist administration. Appropriates moneys.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO PROPERTY.

Establishes an expedited procedure to remove persons from a property who are not tenants or former tenants. Establishes criminal offenses for persons who illegally occupy and damage property, for making a false statement to detain real property, and for fraudulent sale or lease of residential real property.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO PARENTAL RIGHTS.

Prohibits the State and counties from adopting or ordaining any rules, regulations, or ordinances that infringe upon a parent's right to direct the upbringing, education, care, and welfare of the parent's child, except in certain narrowly tailored circumstances.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO CUSTODIAL INTERFERENCE.

Includes in the crime of custodial interference in the first degree the taking, enticing, concealing, or detaining of a minor from a person who has a right to custody pursuant to a Voluntary Establishment of Paternity.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

Authorizes the Hawaii Community Development Authority to cooperate with or assist public and private sector entities to engage in projects that improve the State. Establishes the transit-oriented development infrastructure improvement program. Repeals the transit-oriented development infrastructure improvement district and board, under chapter 206E, part X, HRS. Makes additional consistent revisions to chapter 206E.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO NEIGHBORHOOD BOARDS.

Requires counties that use neighborhood boards to ensure that: (1) Board member terms do not exceed one year; and (2) Neighborhood residents may vote for members of their corresponding neighborhood board by electronic means and in-person means. Requires certain reports to and from the Office of Elections. Appropriates moneys.

Elijah PierickRepublican

RELATING TO UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII ATHLETICS.

Short form bill relating to University of Hawaii athletics.

Andrew Takuya GarrettDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE FLAG.

Establishes the Hawaii State Flag Redesign Commission to lead the process of designing a new state flag that represents the people, culture, and history of Hawaii.

Andrew Takuya GarrettDemocrat

RELATING TO THE RENTAL HOUSING REVOLVING FUND.

Creates a mixed-income rental housing subaccount under the Rental Housing Revolving Fund which shall make loans to mixed-income rental projects or units in a mixed-income rental project. Authorizes the transfer of moneys from the Rental Housing Revolving Fund to the Rental Housing Revolving Fund Mixed-Income Subaccount.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DWELLING UNIT REVOLVING FUND.

Makes the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Pilot Program permanent. Allows partial or full repayment of Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund interim loans in the form of unit equity through the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Program.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

Increases the cap for awards to assist businesses applying for the Small Business Innovation Research Grant Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Program of the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation. Adds purchasing of renewable energy systems as an eligible expense and clarifies that training on both new and existing manufacturing equipment is an eligible expense for the Manufacturing Development Grant Program. Clarifies that no tax credit is available for renewable energy systems purchased with a grant received under the Manufacturing Development Grant Program.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSING.

Amends section 286-236, HRS, to meet current federal regulations to allow the State to issue a limited-term non-domiciled commercial learner's permit and non-domiciled commercial driver's license for applicants who are unable to provide proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residency.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO HIGHWAYS.

Authorizes the counties to sell or dispose of property bordering the ocean when the Department of Transportation requests the acquisition of the property for state highway purposes.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT SYSTEMS PROGRAM.

Appropriates funds out of the State Highway Fund for deposit into the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund and apporitates funds out of the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund for fiscal year 2025-2026.

Ronald D. KouchiDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

Establishes a program within the Office of Community Services to authorize the formation of community collaborative capital improvement projects eligible for state grants, which may be exempted from certain state and county regulatory requirements under specific circumstances. Requires the Office to adopt rules and submit annual reports to the Legislature. Repeals 6/30/2030.

Les Ihara Jr.Democrat