Hawaii Bills

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2231: RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

Amends the State Internship and Workforce Development Program for the public sector by expanding the program to the Legislative and Judicial branches; limiting the internships to full-time placements of ten to eleven months; establishing eligibility criteria, application requirements, and selection preferences; and requiring the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to collaborate with coordinating agencies to promote the program and recruit eligible applicants. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2227: RELATING TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

Requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to award monthly rent supplement payments on behalf of qualified tenants under the State Rent Supplement Program prioritizing certain tenants, including kupuna. Authorizes the HPHA to enter into memoranda of agreement for rental supplement payments with the counties or specialized nonprofit organizations. Amends provisions relating to the State Rent Supplement Program. Establishes the State Rent Supplement Program Special Fund. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to assess a transaction tax for each applicable recording in the Office of the Assistant Registrar of the Land Court or the Bureau of Conveyances to be deposited into the State Rent Supplement Program Special Fund. Repeals the existing separate State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna. Establishes four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist II positions and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist IV position within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2371: RELATING TO AGRIVOLTAICS.

Requires a landowner leasing agricultural sub-parcels on property used for agrivoltaics to prioritize lease offers for beginning farmers. Requires a landowner leasing agricultural sub-parcels on property used for agrivoltaics to submit an annual agrivoltaics compliance report to the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Authorizes DAB to penalize any landowner that fails to meet agrivoltaics requirements. Authorizes the development of solar energy facilities on agricultural lands with productivity ratings of B, C, or D under certain conditions. Authorizes a county planning commission to issue special permits for agrivoltaics requirements before the approval of the Land Use Commission under certain conditions. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Energy

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2349: RELATING TO AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT.

Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to: (1) Establish a four-year Restorative Aquaculture Development Program to reduce aquaculture permit processing time, support aquaculture infrastructure expansion, increase the aquaculture workforce, and pursue federal aquaculture grants; (2) Establish three pilot demonstration sites for restorative aquaculture; and (3) Convene a Restorative Aquaculture Advisory Council. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2333: RELATING TO NEONICOTINOIDS.

Beginning 1/1/2027, prohibits the sale, possession, or use of a pesticide containing one or more neonicotinoid pesticides, under certain conditions. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to evaluate the potential impacts of and adopt any necessary control measures for neonicotinoid pesticide use on pollinating insects, native migratory and resident birds, aquatic organisms, and human health. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Environment

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2310: RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES.

SB 2310 allocates state funds to remove overgrown vegetation from Kainahola Stream. This bill directly affects the maintenance and ecological health of Kainahola Stream by authorizing the specific funding for vegetation removal. The key provision is the appropriation of money for this stream cleanup effort, with no additional policy changes or regulations. The bill is currently under review by the AEN/WLA committee, with a public hearing scheduled for February 11, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2461: RELATING TO VOTER INFORMATION.

Requires the Office of Elections to prepare a questionnaire to which candidates may respond. Requires the Office of Elections to publish any responses provided by a candidate on its website and in the digital voter information guide no later than eighteen days before a primary election. Effective 1/1/2027. (SD1)

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2426: RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

Allows the Department of Land and Natural Resources to contract or form a partnership with private parties to assist with the maintenance and management of sunscreen dispensers at all state beaches, as well as publicize that the mineral-based sunscreen in these dispensers is more protective of the coral reefs of the State. Appropriates funds for the installation, maintenance, management, and operation of non-chemical sunscreen dispensers on all state beaches. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Environment

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2422: RELATING TO HOUSING.

Establishes the Pro-Housing Score Program to evaluate each county's performance in expanding housing opportunities and reducing regulatory barriers. Requires the counties to publish their respective pro-housing scores online and the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to publish certain related information and data on a public dashboard. Establishes criteria for deeming a county noncompliant. Establishes builder's remedies for certain housing projects in transit-oriented development areas. Specifies that if a county is deemed noncompliant, the planning director or an equivalent county officer responsible for land use approvals shall be responsible for approving or denying certain affordable housing development applications. Establishes procedures for certain transit-oriented development housing project appeals. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Transportation

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2478: PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE I OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND PROTECT THE INHERENT AND INALIENABLE RIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE TO CLEAN WATER AND AIR, A HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE AND HEALTHY NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS AND BEACHES.

Proposes a constitutional amendment to ensure that the inherent and inalienable right of the people, including future generations, to clean water and air, a healthful environment and climate and healthy native ecosystems and beaches, shall be protected and shall not be infringed. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Environment

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2435: RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE.

Establishes a State goal to retrofit state facilities to be electric vehicle charger-ready. Beginning 7/1/2027, requires the design of all new state building construction that includes parking to ensure that at least ten per cent of parking stalls are electric vehicle charger-ready. Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office, in consultation with the Department of Accounting and General Services, Department of Transportation, and all other state agencies that own or manage state facilities that include parking, to conduct a survey and identify certain high-priority state facilities. Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office to assess the costs of, and install, retrofits and electric vehicle charging system at high priority state facilities. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2525. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Transportation

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2488: RELATING TO THE HAWAII INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL.

Establishes the position of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council Executive Director. Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, rather than the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, for the HISC for fiscal year 2026-2027. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

Bill results