HB 1059 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

Summary

Converts the Emergency Management Specialist series positions at level V and higher in the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency from civil service status to exempt status. Effective 7/1/3000. Repeal on 7/1/2027. (SD2)

Tags: Emergency Management

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Last action Apr 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1059_HD1 → HB1059_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill converts emergency management specialist positions at Level V and higher in the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency from civil service status to exempt status. This change allows the agency to hire and fill critical vacancies more quickly without being bound by standard civil service recruitment procedures. The bill also establishes a sunset provision, requiring the exemption to expire on July 1, 2027, unless the legislature re-enacts it.

Scope change

The bill expands the list of exempt positions in the Hawaii Revised Statutes to specifically include the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency's executive officer, public information officer, branch chiefs, and emergency operations center personnel at Level V and higher.

SCOPE

Added specific exemptions for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, including the executive officer, public information officer, branch chiefs, and emergency operations center personnel at Level V and higher.

TIMELINE

Established a sunset provision requiring the exemption to expire on July 1, 2027, unless re-enacted by the legislature.

REQUIREMENT

Modified the hiring requirements for emergency operations center state warning point personnel to allow exemptions if normal recruitment would cause delay or noncompliance.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 10, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 722) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Elefante, Fevella, San Buenaventura. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).

upper

Apr 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 11 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, Hashimoto, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C.; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Elefante, Inouye, Fevella ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai.

upper

Mar 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM has scheduled a public hearing on 03-28-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Re-Referred to WAM.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to PSM/LBT, WAM.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 143).

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3).

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 544), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 151) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Lamosao, Morikawa, Poepoe, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson.

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to PBS, LAB, FIN, referral sheet 3

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors