Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

Requires the Hawaii Community Development Authority to establish a Community Action Center in Chinatown. Expenditure contingent upon the City and County of Honolulu providing matching funds. Appropriation.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO LAND USE.

Requires any petitioner for a district boundary amendment to obtain certification from the Commission on Water Resources Management that enough water is available for the project needs without causing harm to the relevant aquifers and provide that certification to the Land Use Commission.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT.

Amends Act 289, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025, to replace the Senior Residence at Iwilei parcel with the Westridge parcel, change the transfer date for the Alii Tower parcel to 12/31/2026, changes the deadline for approval by the City and County of Honolulu to 12/31/2027, and changes the repeal date to 1/1/2028.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY EQUITY.

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish residential electricity rate structures that prioritize affordability and equity. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a lifeline baseline performance standard, a medical essential needs energy program, and a new tariff. Requires electric utilities to file revised tariffs no later than twelve months after the Public Utilities Commission has issued a final decision and order under this Act. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to convene a stakeholder process for developing and implementing this Act.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO ANIMAL ENDANGERMENT.

Allows law enforcement officers, animal control officers, and firefighters to enter an unattended vehicle to protect the health, safety, or well-being of a pet animal that is endangered by being left or confined in an unattended vehicle. Allows private citizens to rescue a pet animal that has been left in an unattended vehicle under certain circumstances. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC HOUSING.

Requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to allow any resident of a public housing project or state low-income housing project to keep one or more pet animals in the resident's unit, subject to applicable state laws, county ordinances, and any reasonable conditions. Prohibits pet animals from being at-large on public housing premises. Provides that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority may charge a refundable deposit for each pet animal but shall not impose a monthly pet fee or pet rent. Allows the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to remove a vicious animal to protect persons or property. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO ANIMAL IMPORTATION.

Requires, as a condition of entry into the State, documentation verifying that any dog or cat imported into the State has been surgically sterilized, subject to certain exemptions. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to forward declarations of intact animal importation to appropriate county animal control agencies or contractors. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PET ANIMALS.

Prohibits insurers from refusing to issue or renew, canceling, restricting, otherwise terminating, or charging higher rates for a commercial general liability insurance policy, homeowners insurance policy, renters insurance policy, or dwelling fire policy based on the breed of any dog that is kept on the insured premises.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO WILDLIFE.

Increases the fines for taking or harassing protected turtles in the State. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PERSONAL INFORMATION.

Prohibits government entities from making personal information publicly accessible through a publicly accessible information system or publicly accessible source of information, except under certain conditions. Allows individuals who reasonably believe their personal information is publicly accessible through a government entity's publicly accessible information system or publicly accessible source of information to submit a written notice to the entity to require corrective action. Establishes a cause of action to compel compliance. Establishes statutory penalties for intentional noncompliance. Requires government entities to adopt and implement policies and procedures to prevent personal information from being publicly accessible. Requires government entities that own, license, maintain, use, collect, or possess personal information to implement and maintain certain reasonable security procedures and practices to protect the personal information. Requires government entities to provide notice to individuals in the case of a breach of a security system protecting personal information. Requires government entities to submit an annual report to the Legislature. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PRIVACY.

Adds definitions of "identifier" and "specified data element" and amends the definition of "personal information" for the purposes of notifying affected persons of data and security breaches under the State's data breach notification law. Includes telecommunications carriers subject to and in compliance with certain federal provisions among the businesses deemed compliant with this law. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PRIVACY.

Prohibits the sale of geolocation information and internet browser information without consent. Prohibits the sale of data collected through eavesdropping or through an application operating in the background of a device that uses the device's microphone.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Makes it an unfair or deceptive act or practice for businesses to: offer, display, or advertise the price of live-ticket events or short-term lodging without clearly and conspicuously disclosing the total price; and misrepresent any fees or charges in any offer, display, or advertisement for the sale of live-event tickets or short-term lodging.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Prohibits the sale of tickets at a price at least ten per cent more than the primary sale price charged by the primary venue ticket provider for events held in the State. Authorizes the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to adopt rules to impose fines for any violations. Effective 7/1/2050. (HD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPARENCY.

Requires food, beverage, and service establishments that accept tips and employ tipped employees to post signs that include certain language explaining their tip allocation practices and the contact information for the Wage Standards Division of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Wage and Hours Division of the United States Department of Labor. Allows DLIR to adopt rules to establish fines.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Requires each food establishment to clearly and conspicuously display, when a price is shown to a customer, the total price of that food or beverage item, including any mandatory fees a customer would incur during the purchase. Prohibits a food establishment from imposing on a customer or advertising any mandatory fees that are excessive or deceptive for any food or beverage offered by the food establishment. Requires the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to adopt rules.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PREFERRED NAMES.

Requires the Department of Education to implement a process to allow students to use preferred names to strengthen inclusivity in public schools.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO SEX-BASED DISCRIMINATION.

Clarifies and strengthens the State's protections against sex-based harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation that occur in public schools, public charter schools, or at the University of Hawaii, including discrimination based on gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and pregnancy-related conditions. Establishes procedures for investigations and decision-making. Requires mandatory reporting by certain employees. Requires the Department of the Attorney General to conduct a comprehensive legal review. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.

Prohibits health care facilities, health care providers, and emergency medical services from furnishing medical debt to a consumer credit reporting agency. Prohibits consumer credit reporting agencies from reporting or maintaining medical debt information in the file on a consumer.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS.

Establishes patient rights with respect to timely access to specialists and referrals and prior authorization determination timelines. Establishes certain requirements for health carriers for prior authorization determinations. Establishes certain requirements for the use of automated decision support tools for claims determinations and utilization review. Requires health carriers to establish certain safeguards for protected health information. Establishes certain reporting requirements for network adequacy. Establishes certain provider protections. Expands the Insurance Commissioner's enforcement authority.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PROPERTY CONVEYANCE.

Restructures the conveyance tax to a marginal rate system for the sale of properties with residential use, adjusts the tax for multifamily properties to reflect value on a per-unit basis, and applies a cost-of-living adjustment to conveyance tax rates. Establishes the Transit-Oriented Development Infrastructure Subaccount within the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund. Allocates a portion of conveyance tax collections to the Transit-Oriented Development Infrastructure Subaccount and Hawaiian Home Lands Infrastructure and Housing Special Fund. Establishes and appropriates funds out of the Hawaiian Home Lands Infrastructure and Housing Special Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC NOTICE.

Authorizes government agencies to satisfy public notice requirements by electronic posting on official state or county websites or electronic calendars, while preserving traditional publication as an option. Directs the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, in consultation with the Access Hawaii Committee, to adopt rules governing the implementation of electronic notice before the electronic notice authorization takes legal effect. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE.

Establishes the Hawaii CARES Fund Long-term Services and Supports Trust Program within the Department of Human Services to be implemented in collaboration with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Insurance Commissioner, provide eligible beneficiaries with a lifetime benefit for approved long-term services and supports funded through payroll-based premium assessed on wages, with exemptions and optional participation for self-employed persons and certain out‑of‑state participants. Establishes a trust fund commission and council. Establishes premium assessment and collection requirements. Provides cancellation procedures under certain circumstances. Establishes a supplemental private coverage framework and consumer education requirements. Establishes the Hawaii CARES trust fund and investment requirements. Requires DHS, DLIR, and the Insurance Commissioner to adopt rules. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE FACILITIES.

Requires all state building construction begun on or after 7/1/2028 to provide at least one universal changing accommodation in each public restroom designated as a family or assisted-use restroom, unless technically infeasible. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE COSTS.

Establishes the Prescription Drug Affordability Board within the Department of Health to conduct affordability reviews on high-cost prescription drugs and establish upper payment limits under certain circumstances. Establishes out-of-pocket maximums for prescribed insulin, asthma inhalers, and epinephrine auto-injectors. Prohibits copayment adjustment programs. Requires health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations to comply with certain affordability measures. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Requires adoption of rules by the Affordability Board and Insurance Commissioner. Appropriates funds.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX EXEMPTIONS.

Establishes a general excise tax exemption for the gross proceeds or income from feminine hygiene products. Effective 1/30/2050. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO PARKING FOR DISABLED PERSONS.

Beginning 7/1/27, increases the number of required accessible and van accessible parking spaces in parking lots with more than twenty-five parking spaces that are covered by title II or III of the Americans with Disabilities Act with certain expectations. Effective 1/30/2050. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO SEARCH AND RESCUE.

Establishes the Search and Rescue Card Program and Search and Rescue Special Fund to reimburse state and county agencies and volunteer organizations for search and rescue operations. Establishes reimbursement procedures for search and rescue operations.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO SEARCH AND RESCUE.

Establishes the Office of the State Search and Rescue Coordinator within the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. Provides for the authority and duties of the State Search and Rescue Coordinator. Designates participating agencies and their duties with regard to state search and rescue operations and training. Establishes the Search and Rescue Special Fund. Requires reports to the Legislature. Requires the Administrator of Emergency Management to hire the Coordinator by 1/1/2027. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2525. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY PROJECTS.

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to hold not less than two community meetings before approving a major energy project that would be hosted in the affected community.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO SOLAR ENERGY.

Defines and provides requirements for the use of a portable solar generation device. Requires each portable solar generation device to be registered with the Public Utilities Commission. Provides that electric utility companies are not liable for any damage or injury caused by a portable solar generation device. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish and maintain an online system for registering a portable solar generation device, at no cost to the customer.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO DISPOSABLE BODYBOARDS.

Prohibits the sale, rental, or distribution of disposable bodyboards in the State. Establishes penalties.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES.

Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish rules allowing the sale and distribution of fine mesh nets, including monofilament netting, in the State to protect plants from the coconut rhinoceros beetle.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.

Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish and enforce vegetation management requirements to prevent wildfires caused by electric utilities.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSERVATION.

Requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules that implement wildlife viewing guidelines that substantially conform to the wildlife viewing guidelines issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Requires annual reports to the Legislature until rules are adopted. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Authorizes condominium associations to inspect high-risk components in a unit upon the replacement or repair of the component by the owner.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO FORECLOSURES.

Specifies that a judicial foreclosure sale is not final until the earliest of either fifteen days after the public sale, unless an eligible bidder submits a subsequent bid or written notice of intent to submit a subsequent bid, or forty-five days after the public sale. Requires subsequent successful bidders to make a downpayment.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Requires residential property insurers to disclose wildfire risk scores upon request and at renewal, nonrenewal, and application. Requires insurers using wildfire risk models, catastrophe models, or scoring methods to file model-use information with the Insurance Commissioner and incorporate property-level and community-level wildfire mitigation. Requires insurers to provide mitigation discounts if property-level and community-level wildfire mitigations are not incorporated into risk models. Establishes a standardized notice and an appeal process for wildfire risk scores and mitigation discounts. Authorizes insurers to provide benefits or premium reductions for wildfire risk-preventative measures and clarifies treatment for midterm premium increases and anti-rebate laws. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE FRAUD.

Prohibits certain solicitation and inducement practices relating to insurance claims. Establishes disaster-related insurance fraud offenses. Broadens the scope of the offense of insurance fraud and the acts that constitute insurance fraud. Clarifies the penalties for the offense of insurance fraud and the capabilities and operations of the Insurance Fraud Investigations Branch, including the annual report to the Legislature and the use of fraud analytics. Reiterates protections for insurance fraud whistleblowers. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Establishes the Ombudsman's Office for Homeowners Insurance within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Establishes the Ombudsman's Office for Homeowners Insurance Special Fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Authorizes captive insurance companies to underwrite, reinsure, or otherwise assume catastrophic property and casualty risks, subject to the approval and continuing supervision of the Insurance Commissioner. Allows the Commissioner to set certain minimum standards for captive insurance companies underwriting catastrophic property and casualty risk. Requires captive insurance companies underwriting catastrophic property and casualty risk to provide certain information in reports to the Commissioner. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE PROCEEDS.

Requires mortgage servicers to comply with certain requirements regarding the disbursement of insurance proceeds for residential real estate that has been destroyed or damaged.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Beginning 1/1/2027, requires certain insurers to notify policyholders of rate changes at least 60 days before the effective date of the rate change. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Establishes consumer protections and insurer governance requirements for the use of artificial intelligence systems in certain insurance practices, including health insurance benefit determinations and residential property underwriting decisions. Establishes review, monitoring, recordkeeping, disclosure, rebuttal, and cure requirements for the use of artificial intelligence systems in certain insurance practices. Requires the Insurance Commissioner to adopt rules.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO TRAFFIC SAFETY.

Requires the Department of Transportation to complete and publish a traffic engineering study before installing specified traffic safety devices or changing posted speed limits on state highways. Establishes a publicly accessible dashboard for requests, studies, decisions, and public comments. Requires annual reporting to the Legislature.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HONOAPIILANI HIGHWAY COASTAL MITIGATION PROJECT.

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriates moneys to finance capital improvements for the Honoapiilani Highway coastal mitigation project. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Defines the term "cosmetics". Requires all merchants that sell cosmetics to accept returns of new or unopened goods within specified time frames. Exempts certain merchants that sell cosmetics. Clarifies the definition of "conspicuous sign". Beginning 1/1/2027, requires a merchant that sells cosmetics and receives three or more warning letters from the Office of Consumer Protection for failing to post a conspicuous sign to post return and refund policy signs printed and distributed by the Office of Consumer Protection. Appropriates funds.

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat