Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO GEOTHERMAL ENERGY EXPLORATION.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for the exploration and identification of geothermal resources on Hawaii island.

Nicole E. LowenDemocrat

RELATING TO UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII ATHLETICS.

Short form bill relating to University of Hawaii athletics.

Andrew Takuya GarrettDemocrat

RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.

Establishes a working group for legal services for youth in the child welfare system within the judiciary. Appropriates funds for the working group.

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY INDUSTRY INFORMATION REPORTING.

Adds the promotion of emergency management and critical infrastructure protection as relevant purposes of the Energy Data Collection Program. Adds the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security to the list of agencies that may examine the energy industry information statements submitted pursuant to section 486J-3, HRS. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Nadine K. NakamuraDemocrat

RELATING TO PEDESTRIANS.

Authorizes pedestrians to cross roadways in a manner contrary to the statewide traffic code under certain circumstances.

Chris ToddDemocrat

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.

Kyle T. YamashitaDemocrat

RELATING TO GREEN BONDS.

Establishes a Green Bonds Working Group within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Effective 07/01/3000. (HD1)

Amy A. PerrusoDemocrat

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO.

Appropriates funds for the rat lungworm lab at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Chris ToddDemocrat

RELATING TO PRIVATE SECTOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS.

Expands the types of employees protected by the Hawaii Employment Relations Act to include independent contractors and all individuals subject to the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Act.

Amy A. PerrusoDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Education to transition the Red Raider Productions student organization at Kauai High School into a learning center through the Department of Education's learning centers program.

Luke A. EvslinDemocrat

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE X, SECTION 1, OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO REQUIRE THAT THE STATEWIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM BE THOROUGH AND EFFICIENT.

Proposes an amendment to article X, section 1, of the Hawaii State Constitution to require that the statewide public school system be thorough and efficient.

Amy A. PerrusoDemocrat

RELATING TO FREESTANDING BIRTHING FACILITIES.

Establishes licensure requirements for freestanding birthing facilities.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT.

Requires state agencies to offer individuals who resigned or were dismissed from employment for not complying with vaccination or testing requirements the option to be reinstated, with back pay, to the position that person held prior to their termination.

Diamond GarciaRepublican

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

Clarifies the scope of an action subject to environmental review.

Mark J. HashemDemocrat

RELATING TO VETERANS.

Short form bill relating to veterans.

Della Au BelattiDemocrat

RELATING TO MARRIAGE OF MINORS.

Raises the minimum age requirement to enter into marriage from sixteen to eighteen years of age. Removes the parental consent and written approval by the family court requirements for a minor to marry. Removes spousal cohabitation after the parties attain legal age as an exception for an annulment based on nonage. Makes conforming amendments.

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE FOR HAWAII CONDOMINIUM PROPERTIES.

Requires property insurers to offer discounts on a condominium association's annual insurance premium if the association adopts specific risk mitigation upgrades or develops comprehensive disaster response plans. Requires property insurers of condominiums to base premium increases on actuarial justifications that reflect actual risk reduction resulting from upgraded fire safety improvements installed in conjunction with a building fire and life safety evaluation. Requires property insurers of condominiums to justify premium increases above 10%. Requires property insurers of condominiums to publicly report premium increases each year.

Linda IchiyamaDemocrat

RELATING TO HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS.

Short form bill relating to Hawaiian affairs.

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Provides an income tax deduction for tips received by tipped employees.

Lauren MatsumotoRepublican

RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY.

Short form bill relating to the Judiciary.

David A. TarnasDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires all department schools to offer community policing programs including DARE, LEEP, and PAL. Authorizes the department of education to work with the department of law enforcement and local police departments to implement the programs. Requires a faculty liaison.

Garner M. ShimizuRepublican

RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY.

Appropriates funds to the Judiciary to support services contracted with community-based organizations that deliver essential services, streamline judicial processes, and support the judiciary's capacity to effectively meet the needs of vulnerable households. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)

Cory M. ChunDemocrat

RELATING TO OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE ANALYST.

Requires the office of legislative analyst to produce fiscal notes on all fiscal bills. Prohibits a committee from making a decision on a fiscal bill without a fiscal note. Mandates that fiscal notes be made available to the public. Appropriates funds.

Garner M. ShimizuRepublican

RELATING TO PHARMACISTS.

Authorizes a registered pharmacist under contract with a covered entity for purposes of the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program to supervise via telehealth the filling or receipt of a prescription in certain circumstances.

Cory M. ChunDemocrat

RELATING TO SPECIAL NUMBER PLATES.

Authorizes the issuance of special number plates to recognize the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Tyson K. MiyakeDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE HOLIDAYS.

Designates the day of the second new moon after the winter solstice of each year as the Lunar New Year. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Cory M. ChunDemocrat

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.

Cory M. ChunDemocrat

RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

Establishes within the Department of Human Resources Development the state internship and workforce development program.

Andrew Takuya GarrettDemocrat

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.

Tyson K. MiyakeDemocrat

RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING.

Appropriates funds for the Executive Office on Early Learning to contract with third-party providers of family-child interaction learning programs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO MEDICAL RECORDS.

Establishes fees that medical providers may charge for requests for a patient's medical records from the patient's family member, caregiver, or representative. Requires medical providers to respond to requests in a timely manner. Establishes penalties.

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII ABLE SAVINGS PROGRAM.

Repeals the requirement to use the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund if the Director elects to accept deposits from contributors instead of sending deposits directly to the ABLE program manager. Authorizes the Director of Finance to expend moneys in the trust fund to provide incentive payments to Hawaii public school ABLE account owners. Appropriates funds for incentive payments to Hawaii public school ABLE account owners and to fund a position to provide statewide outreach, advocacy, and relationship management for the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program.

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO ENERGY.

Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office to conduct a study to identify the most cost-effective investments for clean energy alternatives to combustible fuels. Requires a report to the Legislature.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO THE PROCEDURE FOR PAYMENT UNDER PROTEST LAWSUITS.

Allows for the interest earned on payments under protest in the litigated claims fund to be paid in nontaxation cases if the claimant prevails. Establishes a procedure for the disposition of moneys and refiling of actions when a payment under protest suit is filed prematurely. (SD1)

Kyle T. YamashitaDemocrat

RELATING TO OVERDOSE PREVENTION.

Establishes and provides criteria for overdose prevention centers, including standards for the Department of Health to designate certain facilities as overdose prevention centers. Establishes an Overdose Prevention Center Oversight Committee. Provides immunity from state criminal prosecution for certain offenses for persons using a designated overdose prevention center and persons operating a designated overdose prevention center.

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE LICENSED CARE FACILITIES.

Requires the Department of Health to post on its website an easily understandable, searchable, and sortable list of all state-licensed care facilities including information on their licenses and inspections. Requires that the list be updated within five days of any change in its information.

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE.

Amends the definition of "child abuse or neglect" to clarify that the failure to provide certain needs to a child shall not constitute child abuse or neglect if the sole reason the person responsible for the care of the child is unable to adequately provide for the child's care is lack of financial resources; and evidence of parental request for support shall not be deemed as evidence of child abuse and neglect. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO EARLY CHILD CARE.

Requires the Department of Human Services to establish and implement a Child Care Provider Subsidy and Bonus Program to provide subsidies to retain the existing child care workforce in licensed infant and toddler child care centers, group child care centers, and group child care homes and bonuses to registered family child care homes. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Lisa MartenDemocrat

RELATING TO LOW-SPEED ELECTRIC BICYCLES.

Increases the minimum age to operate a low-speed electric bicycle from fifteen to sixteen years of age.

Lisa KitagawaDemocrat

RELATING TO INCOME TAX.

Amends the income tax bracket for taxpayers filing a joint return and surviving spouses to exempt those taxpayers whose taxable income is $200,000 or less. Amends the income tax bracket for unmarried individuals and married individuals who do not file a joint tax return with their spouse to exempt those taxpayers whose taxable incomes is $100,000 or less.

Sean QuinlanDemocrat

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE.

Increases the fines for violating motor vehicle insurance requirements. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Requires the department of taxation to establish a two-year pilot program that reduces the income tax liability for certain residents within the 96792 postal zip code on the island of Oahu. Establishes eligibility and reporting requirements. Repeals 12/31/2027.

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO A STATE BREAST MILK BANK.

Establishes a state breast milk bank under the Department of Health. Establishes the breast milk bank special fund. Appropriates moneys.

Kanani SouzaRepublican

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Restricts motor vehicles that tow a motor vehicle or trailer from the far left lane on roads with three or more lanes going in the same direction with exemptions. Specifies penalties for restricted motor vehicles who drive in the far left lane on roads with three or more lanes moving in the same direction. Applies restrictions and penalties to a county with a population of 500,000 or more. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO VEHICLE SAFETY.

Creates additional fines for any individual found operating a vehicle or moped without a current certificate of inspection. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO TRAFFIC CITATIONS.

Requires police officers to send a carbon copy of a citation to the registered owner of a vehicle within five business days after the citation is issued. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Darius K. KilaDemocrat

RELATING TO PHARMACY.

Establishes the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Special Fund to support pharmacist workforce assessment and planning efforts. Establishes the pharmacist workforce assessment fee. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO PROPERTY RIGHTS.

Establishes a procedure for immediately removing an unlawful occupant of a dwelling or premises with assistance from law enforcement. Provides that an unlawful occupant of a dwelling or premises is civilly liable for unpaid utility bills. Provides that a person who trespasses in or upon a dwelling or premises and intentionally or knowingly damages property in an amount exceeding $999 commits a felony of criminal property damage in the second degree. Requires the Department of the Attorney General to develop, publish, and make available a complaint form to remove unlawful occupants of residential dwellings. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO THE WAGE AND HOUR LAW.

Amends the definition of "employee" in Hawaii's wage and hour law by excluding individuals who are primarily engaged in the range production of livestock. Effective July 1, 3000. (HD1)

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat

RELATING TO MOPED INSURANCE.

Requires that moped operators carry an insurance policy by incorporating mopeds into the insurance laws governing motorcycles and motor scooters, including with respect to provisions concerning required licensure, the relationship with tort law, proof of insurance card, penalties, rate regulation, and minimum coverage levels. Makes conforming amendments. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Jackson D. SayamaDemocrat