SB 1287 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO TRANSPARENCY.

Summary

Requires under the State's wage compensation laws that food, beverage, and service establishments that accept tips and employ tipped employees post signs that include language explaining their tip allocation practices and the contact information for the Wage Standards Division of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Wage and Hours Division of the United States Department of Labor. Establishes back wages and penalties as available remedies for employees in the event of a violation. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB1287_SD1 → SB1287_SD2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised to strengthen protections for tipped workers by expanding the chapter number and adding specific penalties for employers who fail to post required tip allocation notices. It now explicitly allows employees to sue for back wages and damages if tips are stolen, moving beyond just requiring public disclosure. The report title was also updated to reflect these new enforcement and compensation provisions.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include explicit legal remedies for employees, allowing them to sue employers for unpaid tips and back wages, whereas the previous version only required posting notices.

REQUIREMENT

The chapter number in the Hawaii Revised Statutes was changed from Chapter 481B to Chapter 388, and the new section now references existing notification requirements in section 388-7.

The required sign location was updated to include 'mobile vehicle or other temporary sites of business' alongside brick and mortar premises.

ENFORCEMENT

New subsections were added to establish that employers failing to post clear tip allocation notices are liable for back wages and penalties equal to the amount the employee should have earned if all tips were paid directly to them.

The bill now explicitly grants employees the right to file a lawsuit in court to recover unpaid wages and tips, including designating an agent to maintain the action.

TECHNICAL

The report title was updated to include 'Payment of Wages; Compensation' to reflect the new enforcement and remedy provisions.

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 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to LAB, CPC, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 294) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey, Richards, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN will hold a public decision making on 02-25-25 9:32AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to CPN.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 352) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to CPN.

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Aquino, Lee, C., Ihara, Moriwaki, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 02-05-25 3:10PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to LBT, CPN.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors