Bills & Legislation

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) to consider as a preference under chapter 201H, HRS, the proximity between the housing location and the applicant's place of employment; whether the applicant is a state or county employee; and whether the applicant is a returning resident that left the State to attend a university, college, or trade school and has graduated within the past two years. Requires, for any project developed or administered by the HHFDC under chapter 201, HRS, the HHFDC to set aside as a matter of preference an undetermined per cent of available units for state or county employees, when feasible. Requires HHFDC to determine the order of preferences and rank applicants accordingly, select applicants based on application date within the pool of similarly ranked applicants, and validate the preference status of applicants before occupancy of a unit. Authorizes HHFDC to adopt rules to establish additional eligibility criteria.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, requires each public school in the State, including charter schools, to employ, or retain under contract, at least 1 mental health professional for every 250 students enrolled, subject to certain conditions. Requires the Department of Education to submit a progress report to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026. Appropriates moneys for the Department of Education to contract for mental health professionals and to establish an unspecified number of fulltime equivalent mental health professional positions within the Department of Education. Declares that the general fund expenditure ceiling is exceeded.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Beginning with the - school year, requires public elementary, middle, and high school classes to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Requires the Department of Education to adjust state-provided bus and school meal schedules accordingly.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO INTOXICATING LIQUOR.

Restricts the sale of liquor under temporary liquor licenses to confined and demarcated spaces not located on public streets, roads, sidewalks, or pedestrian walkways. Applies restrictions to temporary liquor licenses granted to nonprofit organizations.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS.

Establishes enhanced penalties for multiple violations of the same liquor law by licensees in a county with a population of 500,000 or more, under certain circumstances.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO LEAF BLOWERS.

Defines "residential zone" for purposes of leaf blower restrictions to include residential districts, apartment districts, and business mixed use districts.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO ALGORITHMIC DISCRIMINATION.

Prohibits users of algorithmic decision-making from utilizing algorithmic eligibility determinations in a discriminatory manner. Requires users of algorithmic decision-making to send corresponding notices to individuals whose personal information is used. Requires users of algorithmic decision-making to submit annual reports to the Department of the Attorney General. Provides means of civil enforcement.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO AN INTERSTATE COMPACT TO PHASE OUT CORPORATE WELFARE.

Adopts the Interstate Compact to Phase Out Corporate Welfare.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO RESTITUTION.

Provides for the making of restitution by a defendant who has been convicted of violating section 707-702.5(1)(a), HRS, where the violation caused the death of a parent or legal guardian of a child.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO CHILD CARE.

Requires the Department of Accounting and General Services to establish and operate a Child Care Center Pilot Program on Oahu for eligible children of state employees, one in or near the state capitol and one in Kapolei. Appropriates funds. Repeals on 6/30/2030.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING DISCRIMINATION.

Authorizes the counties to prohibit discrimination against a renter based on the renter's source of income.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires the Department of Education to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students enrolled in department schools. Appropriates funds.

Donovan M. Dela CruzDemocrat

RELATING TO THE CONVEYANCE TAX.

Allocates ten per cent of conveyance tax collections to the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund. Removes the annual cap on conveyance taxes paid into the Rental Housing Revolving Fund.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION.

Makes an application for voter registration part of the enrollment applications or course registration process for Department of Education high schools. Requires eligible student applicants to be given the choice to be registered to vote. Requires updating of names and addresses of eligible student applicants who are already registered to vote unless the applicant declines. Requires the sharing of certain information among the counties, Department of Education, election personnel, and online voter registration system.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH.

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires all public and private schools that serve students in grades 6 through 12 and issue student identification cards to have information on mental health and suicide prevention hotlines printed on the student identification cards. Establishes exceptions and penalties.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE LAND USE COMMISSION.

Requires the Land Use Commission to reclassify lands that are designated for urban growth under a county general plan or county development plan as being in the urban district at the request of the county.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH.

Requires the Department of Education to identify an absence due to the mental health of a student as an excused absence. Defines the term "excused absence". Exempts an absence due to the mental health of a student from the enforcement of penalties relating to compulsory attendance at school. Limits the number of excused absences that may be taken by a student due to mental health reasons.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM.

Renames the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to the Department of Housing, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE PSYCHOLOGY INTERJURISDICTIONAL COMPACT.

Adopts the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact to regulate the practice of telepsychology and temporary in-person, face-to-face practice of psychology by psychologists across state boundaries in the performance of their psychological practice. Requires the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to adopt rules to implement and administer the Compact.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE RENTAL INDUSTRY.

Repeals the definition of "vehicle license recovery fees". Limits to vehicle license and registration fees and weight taxes the fees and taxes that a motor vehicle lessor may pass on to a lessee. Amends the prorated amount of vehicle license and registration fees and weight taxes that a motor vehicle lessor may pass on to a lessee. Repeals the requirement that rental car companies submit annual audits to the Office of Consumer Protection of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO THE LAND USE COMMISSION.

Specifies that a simple majority of affirmative votes of the members of the Land Use Commission present at a meeting and qualified to vote is required for any boundary amendment.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Removes discriminatory requirements for mandatory insurance coverage of in vitro fertilization procedures to create parity of coverage for same-sex couples, unmarried individuals, transgender persons, and opposite-sex couples for whom male infertility is the relevant factor. Requires the insured or the insured's dependent spouse to have a history of infertility of at least six months' duration, rather than five years. Includes need for medical intervention to conceive due to physiological or anatomical factors.

Jarrett KeohokaloleDemocrat

RELATING TO WILDFIRE MITIGATION.

Establishes the Wildfire Mitigation Working Group. Requires a report to the Legislature. Requires the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to provide administrative support to the working group. Makes appropriations.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO AQUARIUM FISH PERMITS.

Exempts persons engaging in aquaculture research from the aquarium fish permit requirement. Defines aquaculture research.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO THE GREEN JOBS YOUTH CORPS.

Makes appropriations to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to continue the Green Jobs Youth Corps program.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO INSURANCE.

Beginning January 1, 2026, prohibits an insurer of property, homeowner's, or renter's insurance from increasing the premium for a policyholder's insurance policy upon renewal unless the insurer submits a report to the policyholder and Insurance Commissioner and receives approval from the Insurance Commissioner. Establishes penalties. Sunsets 1/1/2029.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO CORPORATIONS.

Requires domestic and foreign corporations to provide their shareholders with reports of independent expenditures and political contributions.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO THE DWELLING UNIT REVOLVING FUND.

Establishes the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Program. Repeals the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Pilot Program. Clarifies that the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation may utilize funds in the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund for the purchase of equity in for-sale housing development projects and interim primary or secondary financing.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO RESIDENTIAL LEASEHOLDS.

Exempts state and county lands leased after July 1, 2025, for an initial period of not less than ninety-nine years from chapters 516 and 516D, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO PLANT-BASED BUILDING MATERIALS.

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii for the establishment and administration of the Plant-Based Building Materials Working Group to study how best to develop the plant-based building materials industry in the State. Requires a report to the Legislature.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.

Clarifies that the Board of Land and Natural Resources' authority shall supersede the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority for all lands designated under the state conservation district; provided that the Board of Land and Natural Resources upholds its affirmative and non-transferable duty to protect the traditional and customary rights of native Hawaiians as articulated in the Hawaii State Constitution. Clarifies that the natural resource management enforcement and emergency response over Mauna Kea lands shall remain the responsibility of the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Takes effect 7/1/2026.

Lorraine R. InouyeDemocrat

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS.

Prohibits certain foreign parties from owning, purchasing, or acquiring an interest in agricultural lands. Establishes an Office of Agricultural Intelligence within the Department of Agriculture to investigate claims that land is unlawfully owned by a prohibited foreign party. Requires the Attorney General to undertake enforcement activities. Appropriates moneys.

Brenton AwaRepublican

RELATING TO VOTING.

Requires the Department of Human Services' Med-QUEST division to automatically transmit applicants' voter registration information to the Office of Elections and clerk of the county of the applicant's residence, subject to certain conditions. Authorizes the Office of Elections to designate state agencies for automatic voter registration if the agency collects, processes, or stores certain information. Updates methods for automatic voter registration conducted by the Examiner of Drivers. Makes conforming amendments. Effective 1/30/2026.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Establishes a two-year pilot program that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires the Department of Education to provide free school lunch to all students enrolled at a department school. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Repeals on 6/30/2027.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO PERMITS.

Establishes an exemption from applicable county permit requirements for repetitive construction projects for facilities under the control of the Department of Education, University of Hawaii, or School Facilities Authority. Repeals 1/1/2030.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, establishes a pilot program that requires the Department of Education to include cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator training for public school students in grades six through twelve as part of existing health or physical education curriculum. Requires all public elementary, middle, intermediate, and high schools in the state to have a cardiac emergency response plan as part of the pilot program. Establishes standards for the cardiac emergency response plan. Requires school officials to work with county emergency medical service providers to integrate the cardiac emergency response plan into the counties' emergency response plan into the counties' emergency medical service provider protocols. Authorizes uncertified trainers to instruct others in the administration of an automated external defibrillator or cardiopulmonary resuscitation if the course does not result in certification. Terminates at the end of the 2029-2030 school year.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO LOW-SPEED ELECTRIC BICYCLES.

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

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO LIQUOR LICENSES.

Provides that the Liquor Commission or other licensing agency of each county shall deny the renewal of certain current liquor licenses upon receipt of sufficient protests.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO WATER.

Defines "isolated wetlands" and "wetlands". Clarifies the definition of "state waters" to include wetlands and isolated wetlands. Requires the Director of Health to determine all wetlands in the State, including whether a wetland is an isolated wetland or is included in the waters of the United States. Prohibit persons from discharging any water pollutant into or at any location that enters state waters.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO LEGISLATIVE EMPLOYEES.

Repeals staff of the legislative branch of the State from the list of individuals not included in any appropriate bargaining unit. Specifies that the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each have one vote if they have employees in a particular bargaining unit for the purposes of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement.

Karl RhoadsDemocrat

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT.

Allows a retirant to be employed without reenrollment in the Employees' Retirement System and without loss or interruption of retirement benefits if the retirant is employed as a school resource officer or investigator in positions identified by the Department of Education or the Department of the Attorney General, respectively, as a labor shortage or difficult-to-fill positions, subject to certain conditions. Requires the Director of Human Resources of the appropriate state jurisdiction or the human resources management chief executive of each county to include in their annual reports to the Legislature, details on the employment of retirants as school resource officers or investigators.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO TAXATION.

Conforms the Hawaii income tax laws to the provision of the American Rescue Plan Act relating to tax treatment of restaurant revitalization grants. Applies retroactively to taxable years beginning after 12/31/24.

Stanley ChangDemocrat

RELATING TO TRAFFIC CITATIONS.

Authorizes the Department of Law Enforcement to establish traffic cameras and issue a citation by mail for certain violations of traffic-related laws. Establishes that intentional destruction or damage to a traffic camera is a class C felony.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Decreases the time period for the legislative body of a county to approve, approve with modification, or disapprove housing developments exempt from certain requirements pursuant to section 201H-38, HRS, from forty-five days to thirty days.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

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.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO A COMPENSATORY TIME CASH-OUT PILOT PROGRAM.

Establishes a Compensatory Time Cash-Out Pilot Program for eligible employees of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation who work in any state correctional facility. Appropriates funds.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat

RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii at Manoa to establish three additional permanent mental health practitioner positions within the Division of Student Success' Counseling and Student Development Center.

Brandon J.C. ElefanteDemocrat