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SB 1359 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND BASE COMPOSITE MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION.

Summary
Effective 1/1/2026, increases the employer base composite monthly contribution to the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund by 5.2 percent of the 2025 employer base composite monthly contribution. Effective 1/1/2027, requires that the employer base composite monthly contribution be calculated based on the change in Medicare Part B premiums from 2025 to 2026 and at a two-year lag thereafter. (HD2)
Issues: ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases employer contributions to Hawaii's health benefits trust fund, directly funding healthcare coverage for employees through higher mandatory payments.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases employer contributions to health benefits trust fund, expanding worker benefits coverage through mandatory funding increases.95% confidence
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Signed May 15, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB1359_HD1 → SB1359_HD2 · 3 edits
MINOR
This bill adjusts the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund's base composite monthly contribution. The primary change is updating the effective date for the initial 5.2% increase from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2026 (no substantive date change in the policy, but formatting differences exist). The bill also changes the effective date of the Act itself from July 1, 3000 to upon approval, which is a significant procedural correction. Additionally, the bill text was reformatted from a Senate document to a House document format.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains the same - it applies to the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund - but the effective date correction for the Act's implementation is a substantive procedural change.
TIMELINE

Changed the Act's effective date from July 1, 3000 to upon approval, which is a critical correction that makes the law immediately enforceable rather than set in the distant future.

TECHNICAL

Reformatted the bill document from Senate version (HD1) to House version (HD2) with updated metadata and document structure.

Corrected formatting inconsistencies in the statutory text, including removing placeholder text and standardizing the layout of the bill sections.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
36
Key actions
9
Committee
10
Amendments
2
Apr 16, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Final Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 2 (Senator(s) Fevella, Ihara).
upper
Apr 15, 2025
Introduced
Reconsideration of action taken on 04-10-25 in disagreeing to the House amendments.
upper
Apr 10, 2025
Amended
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
upper
Apr 10, 2025
Introduced
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 682).
upper
Apr 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Marten excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
lower
Mar 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Hussey, Ward.
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Committee
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1180) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
lower
Mar 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Reyes Oda.
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 18
lower
Feb 28, 2025
Introduced
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 54).
lower
Feb 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 2 (Senator(s) Fukunaga, Kidani). Transmitted to House.
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
upper
Feb 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-19-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
upper
Feb 10, 2025
Committee
Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 203) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to WAM.
upper
Jan 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in LBT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Aquino, Lee, C., Ihara, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
upper
Jan 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 01-31-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
upper
Jan 27, 2025
Committee
Referred to LBT, WAM.
upper
Jan 23, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and passed First Reading.
upper
Jan 21, 2025
Introduced
Pending Introduction.
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Ron Kouchi
Ron Kouchi
DDemocratic
HI
8