Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH.

Amends the existing prohibition on conversion therapy by prohibiting the practice on persons of all ages and the advertisement of such practice. Explicitly provides that talk therapy in the form of pure speech is exempt from the prohibition on conversion therapy. Takes effect upon the certification by the Attorney General that the Supreme Court of the United States has overturned the holding in Chiles v. Salazar, 116 F.4th 1178 (10th Cir. 2024).

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAII STATE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER, PLUS COMMISSION.

Expands the membership of the Hawaii State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Commission from eight voting members to eleven.

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION.

Prohibits discrimination based on the perception that a person possesses certain characteristics, the perception that a person is associated with a person who possesses, or is perceived to possess, certain characteristics, or the intersection or combination of two or more specified characteristics in relation to a person. (SD1)

Chris LeeDemocrat

RELATING TO RETIRED EDUCATION EMPLOYEES.

Repeals the requirement that retirants rehired as teachers or administrators serve in a teacher shortage area identified by the Department of Education. Requires retirants rehired after 6/30/2026 as teachers or administrators in Department or charter schools to be paid the entry level salary for the teacher or administrator position as negotiated in the collective bargaining unit contract. Prohibits retirants rehired after 6/30/2026 from receiving additional employment benefits. Requires the DOE to adopt rules. (SD1)

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO VISAS.

Establishes uniform statewide requirements for policies and processes for the issuance of U and T visa certifications for noncitizen victims of crime that are consistent with federal laws and regulations governing U and T visas. Requires each state and county certifying entity to adopt a policy and process for the issuance of U and T visa certifications, consistent with those statewide requirements. Appropriate funds for the Department of the Attorney General to provide training to state and county certifying entities so that the policies and processes comply with all federal requirements. Appropriates funds to the Department of the Attorney General for the training.

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO IMMIGRATION.

Requires state and county law enforcement agencies to notify an individual in the custody of a state or county law enforcement agency of their rights before any interview with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement pertaining to certain matters regarding civil immigration violations can commence. Designates all records relating to United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to detained individuals provided by a state or local law enforcement agency as public records. Requires state and county law enforcement agencies that have provided the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to a detained individual within the previous year to hold two public forums per year.

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to develop an alternative pathway for a visiting international educator permit aligned to the duration of the educator's J-1 visa program. Repeals 6/30/2031. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO FEE TRANSPARENCY.

Restricts transfer fees relating to sale or transfer of ownership charged by condominium associations and planned community associations. Requires associations to disclose certain estimated withholdings and pass-through charges.

Donna Mercado KimDemocrat

RELATING TO COCONUT TREES.

Establishes recognition of coconut trees as a source of food and water, and as a cultural treasure. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish rules to allow the use of coconut tree seed banks in the State. Requires owners or operators of property where any coconut tree is located to post and maintain a sign that clearly indicates that the coconut tree is a landscape palm. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish labeling standards for non-consumable landscape palms. Establishes an income tax credit for consumable coconut trees maintained through natural management practices.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO HUMAN REMAINS.

Requires any funeral establishment, mortuary, cemetery, crematory, or hydrolysis facility to dispose of the remains of a dead human body no later than sixty days from the date a burial‑transit permit has been issued or from the date of an affidavit for amendment of the permit has been submitted, whichever is later. Specifies that the Department of Health is not required to include specific disposition dates on the permit. Requires the Department to adopt rules.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO LEI.

Requires and establishes benchmarks for each state executive agency to ensure that a certain percentage of lei purchased by that executive agency consists of lei made of natural objects and plant materials grown, harvested, and assembled in the State. Establishes labeling requirements for lei and lei materials. Requires the disclosure of the geographic origin for the plant materials and natural objects that comprise a lei or lei materials. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO NOTARIES PUBLIC.

Requires the Bureau of Conveyances to notify an affected party when any recorded instrument was purportedly fraudulently notarized, when attested to by the purported notary public. Requires the Bureau of Conveyances to allow an affected party to void the recorded instrument that was purportedly fraudulently notarized. Requires the Bureau of Conveyances to allow title holders to suspend additional recordings on their title, unless given prior authorization by the title holder, subject to certain limitations. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO FORECLOSURES.

Authorizes the public sale of a foreclosed mortgaged property or unit on a state website to be developed and maintained by the Judiciary. Requires the public notice of the public sale of the mortgaged property or unit to include the date, time, and website address of the sale if the sale is to be held on a state website. Appropriates funds.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

For taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026, applies the retail or higher general excise tax or use tax rate to purchases or imports of new motor vehicles by rental car companies. Appropriates funds to establish a position in the Department of Taxation. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Appropriates funds for Department of Hawaiian Home Lands projects eligible for general fund revenues that are generated by increases in transient accommodations tax collections and intended to be expended equally across projects related to natural resources, climate resilience, and destination management.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.

Permits the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to conduct a review of the effect of a proposed project on lands under its jurisdiction on historical properties and burial sites, subject to certain requirements. Appropriates funds.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO THE RENTAL HOUSING REVOLVING FUND.

Authorizes the Rental Housing Revolving Fund to be used to provide loans or grants to eligible individuals to purchase rental units.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE PROTECTION OF MINORS.

Establishes safeguards, protections, oversight, and penalties for interactions between minors and artificial intelligence companion systems or conversational artificial intelligence services.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

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

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects in the 16th senatorial district.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for contracted services for the assessment and inventory of the Molokai Irrigation System.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES.

Directs the Department of Human Services to convene a working group to develop a statewide Kamaʻaina credit program to assist asset limited, income constrained, employed households to pay for essential living costs. Requires a report to the Legislature.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO GENERAL EXCISE TAX EXEMPTIONS.

Establishes a general excise tax exemption for the gross proceeds or income from the sale of groceries that are eligible under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), regardless of the means of purchase or the SNAP eligibility of the purchaser. Establishes a general excise tax exemption for the gross proceeds or income from the sale of nonprescription drugs.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO INDIVIDUAL SPORTS.

Authorizes homeschooled, high school-aged students to participate as unattached competitors in individual sports available to the public high school that the student would otherwise be required to attend.

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.

Requires the Campaign Spending Commission to send notices regarding unfiled, substantially defective, and substantially deficient reports by certified mail. Requires the Commission to specify in substantial defect and deficient report notices the nature of any substantial defect or deficiency. Allows recipients of substantial defect and deficient report notices to correct their reports up to 10 business days after the receipt of the notices. Defines the terms "substantially defective" and "substantially deficient".

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN FLAG.

Requires cooperative housing corporations, planned community associations, and condominium associations to allow owners to display the Hawaiian flag within the owner's property. Allows reasonable time, place, manner, and size restrictions on Hawaiian flag displays to protect a documented substantial interest of the association or corporation. Authorizes cooperative housing corporations, planned community associations, and condominium associations to impose stricter size restrictions on Hawaiian flag displays or eliminate the flagpole or have its height lowered if the documented substantial interest is related to health or safety. Effective 9/9/2129. (HD1)

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Imposes the manufacturing general excise tax rate on motion picture, digital media, and film productions and repeals the provision in the definition of "qualified production costs" that applied the term to mean costs incurred that are subject to the highest general excise tax rate. Exempts from the general excise tax amounts received by a motion picture project employer from a client company equal to amounts that are disbursed by the motion picture project employer for employee wages, salaries, payroll taxes, insurance premiums, and employment benefits and payments to loan-out companies. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD1)

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.

Establishes a new gift card fraud law, under the scope of unfair and deceptive practices law, which requires merchants and third-party gift card resellers to take certain steps to prevent gift card scams. Requires the Office of Consumer Protection to create model notices and issue certain guidelines. Requires the conspicuous provision of information regarding terms and conditions of gift certificates, regardless of whether the cards are sold in person, electronically, or telephonically. Extends the minimum redemption period for paper gift certificates from two to four years. Establishes penalties. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Makes permanent the Agricultural Enforcement Pilot Program established pursuant to Act 235, SLH 2025. Renames the program as the Agricultural Enforcement Program and expands the program statewide. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO THE KALAUPAPA SETTLEMENT.

Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Department of Land and Natural Resources, in consultation with the Department of Health, to submit to the Legislature a report on the plan for the transfer of powers and duties of Kalaupapa Settlement prior to the Regular Session of 2027. (SD1)

Lynn DeCoiteDemocrat

RELATING TO IRRIGATION SYSTEMS.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Agribusiness Development Corporation to acquire, repair, and maintain irrigation systems in the State. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Repeals allocation of conveyance tax revenues to the rental housing revolving fund. Temporarily suspends selected state income tax credits retroactively to 1/1/2026.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.

Requires DOH to submit a reorganization plan to the Legislature to consolidate the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions with the Homeless Programs Office under a single centralized entity. Specifies the contents of the reorganization plan and the dates by which the draft and final plan and timeline for reorganization must be submitted to the Legislature. Requires the consolidated entity to submit annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriate funds. Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for the Kauhale Initiative and related capital improvement projects. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO COMMERCE.

Prohibits acquiring and holding stocks and other interests if the acquisition and holding lessens access to health care or increases insurance rates. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Establishes a nonrefundable income tax credit to incentivize significant investment in agricultural production and support the expansion of agricultural crops that take longer to become productive. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Sunsets 1/1/2031. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO REAL ESTATE.

Prohibits real estate brokers from listing or offering the sale or lease of residential real estate to a limited or exclusive group of prospective buyers, real estate brokers, or real estate salespersons, with limited exceptions. Deems the practice an unfair or deceptive trade or practice subject to penalties and grounds for discipline. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO DESTINATION MANAGEMENT.

Transfers functions relating to the preparation and implementation of destination management action plans from the Hawaii Tourism Authority to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Appropriates moneys to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop and implement destination management action plans. Appropriates moneys to the Department of Education's Workforce Development Branch for various destination management-related workforce development activities.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO THE BUDGET.

Establishes the Defeasement Trust Fund within the Department of Budget and Finance for the defeasement of tax-exempt bonds to allow private use of state facilities financed by tax-exempt bonds. Requires the Department to consult with bond counsel before defeasement. Appropriates moneys in and out of the Defeasement Trust Fund for defeasement of certain tax-exempt bonds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO BUDGET-RELATED REPORTS.

Requires the Governor to ensure that the Governor's program memoranda and variance reports accurately reflect the current responsibilities of certain state programs, address the current and future needs of the State, and align with budget-related submittals.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATIONS.

Requires a condominium association to make available on an internet site the association's general ledgers, project information form (RR-105C), and statement of accounts at no cost to a unit owner or the unit owner's authorized agent. Reduces the reasonable fee a condominium association may charge to provide copies of association documents from $1 per page to 75 cents per page.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE BUILDING PROJECTS.

Establishes, and appropriates funds for, the State Building Permit Process Task Force to evaluate the challenges, opportunities, and legislative actions necessary to establish a State Building Permit Review Office for state projects located on state-owned lands. Requires a report to the Legislature. Sunsets on 6/30/2028. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION SAFETY.

Requires testing of driver license applicants on the dangers that larger motor vehicles present to pedestrians and bicyclists. Requires persons who commit the offense of excessive speeding to pass the driver license examination only if and when those drivers apply for a new driver's license. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO DOMESTIC ABUSE.

Establishes the Domestic Abuse Offender Registry within the Department of the Attorney General. Appropriates funds.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES.

Establishes the preventive maintenance special fund under the Department of Education to be used exclusively for preventive maintenance of public school facilities. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates moneys.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATED TO FIREARMS.

Extends to firearm parts and ammunition certain prohibitions relating to the possession, ownership, or control of firearms and ammunition.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO STATE ENTERPRISE ZONES.

Expands the definition of "eligible business activity" for the purposes of the Enterprise Zone Program to include certain research and development activities and information technology design and production services. Authorizes the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to declare up to two census tracts in the State that contain an innovation enterprise to be designated as an enterprise zone, subject to the Governor's approval. Requires DBEDT to conduct an in-house comprehensive review, in consultation with the Department of Taxation, of the State Enterprise Zones Program and requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO EXCESSIVE SPEEDING.

Amends the statutory standard for excessive speeding.

Sharon Y. MoriwakiDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Prohibits certain entities from purchasing single-family residences in the State of Hawaii. Requires reports and certifications to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Establishes penalties and enforcement authority.

Brenton AwaRepublican

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XVI, SECTION 3.5, OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO ESTABLISH SALARY INCREASE LIMITS FOR JUSTICES AND JUDGES OF ALL STATE COURTS, MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, DEPARTMENT HEADS OR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND THE DEPUTIES OR ASSISTANTS TO DEPARTMENT HEADS OF THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS.

Proposes to amend article XVI, section 3.5 of the Hawaii State Constitution regarding the establishment of salary increase limits for justices and judges of all state courts, members of the Legislature, department heads or executive officers of executive departments, and the deputies or assistants to department heads of executive departments.

Brenton AwaRepublican