Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO LIQUOR LICENSES.

Authorizes an increase in the volume of manufactured alcoholic beverages permissible under a small craft producer pub license. Increases the amount of alcohol manufactured on small craft producer pub licensees' premises that may be sold in recyclable containers.

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO LAWMAKER SAFETY.

Prohibits the public disclosure of legislators' personal contact information in a voter's affidavit of registration, nomination papers, and electronic database for campaign committees.

Glenn WakaiDemocrat

RELATING TO CANCER.

Repeals the requirement that a certain amount received from the cigarette tax on the wholesale price of each article or item of certain tobacco products deposited into the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund must be used for debt service of capital expenditures and building maintenance. Appropriates funds for the University of Hawaii Cancer Center.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO THE STATE ARCHIVES.

Appropriates funds for the planning, designing, environmental studies, site evaluation and selection studies, and permitting conducted relative to a new facility for the State Archives. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO ASSISTED COMMUNITY TREATMENT.

Requires community health outpatient programs to prepare a certificate for assisted community treatment and provide the certificate to a defendant. Requires a petition for assisted community treatment to be heard within five days after the petition is filed.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

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. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER.

Appropriates funds to the Office of the Public Defender for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Deputy Public Defender III position. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Amends and repeals certain exemptions under the general excise tax and use tax laws.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATIONS.

Clarifies that cooperative associations organized under chapter 421C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, may include multi-stakeholder cooperatives, producer cooperatives, workers cooperatives, and consumer cooperatives. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD2)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Establishes the Office of Artificial Intelligence Safety and Regulation within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to regulate the development, deployment, and use of artificial intelligence technologies in the State. Prohibits the deployment of artificial intelligence products in the State unless affirmative proof establishing the product's safety is submitted to the Office. Appropriates funds.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO THE KANEHILI COMMUNITY HALE.

Appropriate funds to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for the construction of the Kanehili community hale, a new access road, and a parking lot at the Kanehili homestead. (SD1)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO COCONUT TREES.

Establishes an income tax credit for qualified costs to implement natural management of coconut rhinoceros beetles that result in consumable coconut trees. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO CESSPOOLS.

PART II: Allows certain extensions of the deadline for cesspool conversions. PART III: Authorizes and appropriates funds to the Department of Health to retain qualified consultants as necessary to identify necessary public outreach and education resources and tools and develop a comprehensive public outreach strategy and website to educate homeowners and wastewater industry professionals about information and resources regarding the State's cesspool upgrade, conversion, and connection requirements and deadlines.

Mike GabbardDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Prohibits a procurement officer from disclosing a competing offeror's proposal or evaluation score, except the summary of scores, to a non-selected offeror until after any protest is resolved and the contract is executed. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Establishes the Small Business Procurement Program and Small Business Procurement Coordinator position permanently in the State Procurement Office. Repeals the Small Business Assistance Initiative established in Act 168, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, effective 1/1/2525. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Angus L.K. McKelveyDemocrat

RELATING TO THE POWERS OF ARTIFICIAL PERSONS.

Prohibits any state-chartered corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, cooperative, nonprofit, or other association from making expenditures or contributions in connection with elections or ballot measures. Deems any election or ballot measure expenditure or contribution to be ultra vires or void as a matter of law, triggering administrative forfeiture of charter privileges, including limited liability and perpetual duration, until reinstatement. Effective 1/1/2027. (SD1)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO MISCONDUCT BY A PUBLIC SERVANT.

Extends the statute of limitations for offenses based on misconduct in office by a public servant to allow prosecution at any time during the defendant's period of public service and up to ten years thereafter. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD2)

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO VOTING.

Authorizes state agencies to implement automatic voter registration if designated by the Office of Elections. Requires eligible applicants for instruction permits, provisional licenses, driver's licenses, and identification cards to be automatically registered or preregistered to vote unless the applicant opts out.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO RETIREMENT.

Provides elective officers with the choice to be members of the Employees' Retirement System after each election. Repeals the condition that a choice to be excluded from the Employees' Retirement System is irrevocable and such choice may only be made once.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATOR STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT.

Establishes the Educator Student Loan Repayment Program to provide for the repayment of qualified student loans for certain educators in the State. Appropriates funds.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

Shortens the period within which certain judicial proceedings involving environmental assessments and environmental impact statements for actions that propose the use of land for, or construction of, affordable housing or clean energy projects must be initiated. Requires judicial proceedings involving actions that propose the use of land for, or construction of, affordable housing or clean energy projects to be filed directly with the Supreme Court and prohibits the Supreme Court from awarding attorneys' fees in these judicial proceedings.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT OF RETIRANTS.

Establishes a 5-year pilot program to authorize the Department of Education to rehire retired teachers and educational officers for hard-to-staff positions.

Troy N. HashimotoDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Modifies quorum requirements and repeals condominium association board election proxy voting. Authorizes the Real Estate Commission to take certain actions in response to alleged or actual violations of rules or laws relating to condominium association board elections. Imposes certain duties and obligations on condominium association directors concerning election processes. Clarifies the conditions for a valid condominium association board election. Substitutes certain requirements for written affidavits with requirements for written certification in relation to access to association documents.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Requires condominium associations to provide certain association documents in electronic format to unit owners. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Prohibits digital navigation applications from providing an alert, indication, or other type of notice to users of the presence of law enforcement personnel or a law enforcement operation at any specific location.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

Enables condominium associations of twenty or fewer units to determine by vote at the association's annual meeting not to undertake a reserve study review.

Carol FukunagaDemocrat

RELATING TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

By July 1, 2027, requires the Department of the Attorney General to develop a Human Trafficking Awareness Training Program to educate and train workers in the transient accommodations sector. Requires transient accommodations employers and transient accommodations third-party contractors to periodically provide the human trafficking awareness training to certain employees and contract workers and keep records of the training. By January 1, 2028, requires transient accommodations employers and transient accommodations third-party contractors to post signage regarding human trafficking awareness. By October 1, 2027, requires transient accommodations employers and transient accommodations third-party contractors to develop and implement a human trafficking prevention policy that includes procedures for the reporting of suspected human trafficking.

Michelle N. KidaniDemocrat

RELATING TO FAMILY.

Establishes an exemption from mediation in parentage proceedings where there are allegations of domestic abuse. Clarifies the exemption from mediation in divorce proceedings as it relates to domestic abuse.

Michelle N. KidaniDemocrat

RELATING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

Extends for five years certain provisions from Act 19, SLH 2020, and Act 238, SLH 2021, relating to abuse of family or household members, including establishing a petty misdemeanor offense of abuse of family or household members, clarifying penalties for violations, and allowing a deferred acceptance of guilty plea for misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor abuse of family or household members offenses. Effective 6/29/2026.

Michelle N. KidaniDemocrat

RELATING TO IMAGE-BASED SEXUAL ABUSE.

Establishes the nonconsensual disclosure of intimate or private images as a criminal offense. Amends the criteria for an extended term of imprisonment to include an offender whose act of attempting to commit or committing the nonconsensual disclosure of intimate or private images against a minor or vulnerable adult resulted in the victim's death.

Michelle N. KidaniDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE.

Prohibits persons from interfering with another person's access to or from a health care facility or disrupting the normal functioning of a health care facility. Makes violations a petty misdemeanor. Establishes a private right of action for individuals and health care facilities harmed as a result of interference with a health care facility. Authorizes the Attorney General to bring an action for injunctive or other equitable relief. (SD1)

Michelle N. KidaniDemocrat

RELATING TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

Authorizes the inclusion of language addressing individualized accommodations and supports during emergency situations and evacuations in individualized education programs for students with disabilities. Requires support and guidance from the Department of Education.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO THE RIGHT TO REPAIR.

Establishes a right to repair for wheelchairs.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO HEARING AIDS.

Exempts from the general excise tax, gross receipts from the sale of hearing aids received by a hospital, infirmary, medical clinic, health care facility, pharmacy, or a practitioner licensed to administer drugs to an individual. Effective 1/30/2050. Implementation effective 1/1/2027. (SD1)

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.

Requires certain information to appear at the beginning of notices for public meetings, where applicable. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD2)

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO PARKING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.

Provides that people who are blind or deaf are eligible to apply for and receive a disabled paid parking permit.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO SERVICE ANIMALS.

Requires sellers or providers of emotional support animals, as well as those issuing verifications of a disability-related need for an emotional support animal, to provide written notice of certain laws relating to emotional support animals. Requires persons or businesses that sell or provide certificates, vests, or identification tags that identify an animal as an emotional support animal to provide to the buyer or recipient written notice of certain laws relating to emotional support animals. Establishes penalties.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Allows a licensed dental hygienist to place interim therapeutic restorations in public health settings under the general supervision of licensed dentist.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO OPIOID ANTAGONISTS.

Beginning 1/1/2027, requires health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations that issue policies, contracts, plans, or agreements that provide prescription drug coverage to provide coverage for at least one generic opioid antagonist and device.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO VITAL STATISTICS.

Amends the various requirements in the event of a fetal death, including registration of certain fetal deaths, filing and preparation of a certificate of fetal death, and issuance of a permit for removal, burial, or other disposition.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

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.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO ASSISTED COMMUNITY TREATMENT.

Authorizes registered nurses and qualified paramedics licensed by the State to administer medication as part of an assisted community treatment order's treatment plan to the subject of the order, under certain circumstances.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO COLORECTAL CANCER.

Requires and appropriates funds for the Department of Human Services to develop and implement a public assistance program offering state-funded colorectal screenings for certain persons. Requires coverage for all colorectal cancer screenings in the State to be consistent with the Affordable Care Act Implementation Frequently Asked Questions published by the United States Department of Labor, United States Department of Health and Human Services, and United States Department of the Treasury.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SPECIAL FUND.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services Special Fund by authorizing the deposit of revenues from billable emergency medical services. Amends the composition, allowable uses, and establishes a cap on the special fund.

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO GUBERNATORIAL APPOINTMENTS.

Requires any person in a position that is not subject to the civil service law to obtain the advice and consent of the senate if the person is appointed by the governor to serve in the executive branch or is appointed pursuant to section 346-381.5, HRS. Requires persons currently serving in positions made subject to the advice and consent of the Senate by this Act to obtain the advice and consent of the Senate during the Regular Session of 2027 unless the appointee was subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD1)

SAN BUENAVENTURA

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Establishes a family caregiver tax credit for nonpaid family caregivers. Requires the Department of Taxation to submit annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates moneys. The tax credit applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Establishes within the Department of Health the KupunAloha program to provide in-home health care and support services to eligible participants who do not otherwise qualify for government assistance for these services. Appropriates moneys for the program.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO HEARING LOSS.

Requires the Department of Health to develop and publish a state plan on hearing loss. Requires reports to the Legislature prior to the 2027 and 2028 Regular Sessions.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat