HB 2140 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO ESSENTIAL PERMITTING POSITIONS.

Summary

Establishes a four-year pilot program to improve the speed, accountability, and quality of permit processing through targeted staffing, performance incentives, and interdepartmental competition within participating counties. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 26, 2026 Last action Mar 24, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB2140_HD1 → HB2140_HD2 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was revised to change the pilot program's duration from five years to four years, shifting the end date from June 30, 2031, to June 30, 2030. Additionally, the eligibility criteria for financial awards were clarified to ensure candidates meet minimum qualifications, and the definition of 'essential permitting positions' was updated to explicitly include both vacant and filled roles.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed by reducing the pilot program's operational period from five years to four years.

TIMELINE

The pilot program duration was reduced from five fiscal years to four fiscal years, changing the end date from June 30, 2031, to June 30, 2030.

ELIGIBILITY

A new requirement was added stating that candidates for essential permitting positions must meet minimum qualifications to receive financial awards.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'essential permitting positions' was updated to explicitly include both vacant positions and existing positions that are currently filled.

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

Mar 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM.

upper

Mar 24, 2026

Committee

Reported from EIG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3163) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in EIG were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 03-17-26 3:01PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to EIG, WAM.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 365).

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Kong, Pierick excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Feb 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).

lower

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 649-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 19, 2026

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, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Kong.

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Committee

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 252-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.

lower

Feb 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

Referred to ECD, LAB, FIN, referral sheet 5

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

17 primary · 0 co-sponsors