SB 3180 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO STATE EMPLOYMENT.

Summary

Establishes a five-year pilot program allowing retirants to be rehired for exempt service for one-year terms under certain circumstances. Provides that retirants employed under the program are excluded from the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund and will not experience an interruption of pension benefits. Requires an employer of a retirant under the program to contribute to the Employees' Retirement System. Requires the Department of Human Resources Development to submit a report to the Legislature. Sunsets 6/30/2031. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✗ Labor & Employment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 28, 2026 Last action Mar 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB3180_HD1 → SB3180_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten to shift focus from rehiring state retirees to addressing current hiring difficulties. The new version removes restrictions on how many times a single person can be hired for short-term contracts, mandates annual reporting on temporary hires, and automatically eliminates job positions that have been vacant for over four years.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from a pilot program for rehiring retired state employees to a broader set of rules governing temporary employment and vacancy management for all state departments.

ELIGIBILITY

Removed the pilot program allowing retired state employees to return to work for terms longer than 89 days.

Modified the limit on temporary employment, allowing a person to be hired for multiple 89-day terms in the same position instead of being restricted to two terms.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for all departments to submit annual reports detailing their use of 89-day temporary hires.

Added an automatic abolition rule for any state position that remains vacant for more than 48 months.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 3000, to January 1, 2077.

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 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1456-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 16

lower

Mar 6, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 118) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Mar 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Keohokalole, San Buenaventura. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Feb 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-25-26 10:57AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from LBT/GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2543) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao, Moriwaki, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Hashimoto, Moriwaki, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.

upper

Feb 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT/GVO has rescheduled its public hearing to 02-11-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT/GVO deleted the measure from the public hearing scheduled on 02-09-26 3:00PM; CR 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT/GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 02-09-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 2, 2026

Committee

Referred to LBT/GVO, WAM.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors