Hawaii Bills

passed · Hawaii · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 2362: RELATING TO HOUSING.

HB 2362 requires counties to automatically approve building permits for hurricane retrofitting projects when specific safety and structural conditions are met. This directly affects homeowners seeking to strengthen their properties against storms and county permitting offices responsible for processing applications. The key provision eliminates discretionary review for eligible retrofitting work, streamlining approvals to accelerate safety upgrades. The bill aims to reduce delays in making homes more resilient to hurricane damage without altering building codes or adding new requirements.

Joe Gedeon (R) Ikaika Hussey (D) Elijah Pierick (R) Jeanné Kapela (D) Darius Kila (D)

passed · Hawaii · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 2554: RELATING TO SEARCH AND RESCUE.

Temporarily establishes, within the Office of the Governor, the Office of the State Search and Rescue Coordinator to review, assess, coordinate, prepare, and manage plans and resources for search and rescue operations statewide. Repeals on 6/30/2031. Appropriates moneys. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2692: RELATING TO PUBLIC LAND.

Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to acquire, through eminent domain or otherwise, the leasehold interest in the parcel identified as tax map key: (3) 2-1-001:012 and currently used as the Grand Naniloa Golf Course. Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural Resources to approve a new use for the parcel after providing an opportunity for public testimony. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2712: RELATING TO HEMP.

Establishes the Hawaii Hemp Special Fund. Establishes the Hemp Paper Packaging Pilot Program. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 6/30/2030. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2710: RELATING TO ANIMALS.

Defines a "dog breeder" as any person who owns, possesses, controls, or otherwise has charge or custody of more than ten dogs over the age of twelve months with intact sexual organs, and who sells, barters, or otherwise transfers more than three litters and more than twenty-five dogs per calendar year. Requires dog breeders to meet minimum standards of care and not place certain types of dogs in the same enclosure to ensure the proper treatment and care of dogs and the dogs' offspring. Prohibits any person from owning or having custody of more than thirty dogs over one year with intact sexual organs. Requires dog breeders to maintain specific written records for each dog for a specified period. Authorizes each county to assess, implement, and enforce its own licensing system for dog breeders. Establishes civil penalties for violations. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2526: RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT OF RETIRANTS.

Authorizes the rehiring of retirants for positions that are unique and critical to operations. Limits the duration of each retirant's reemployment to four years. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

passed · Hawaii · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 2493: RELATING TO WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT.

Establishes the procedure that a circuit court shall follow upon the reversal or vacation of an individual's judgment of conviction on grounds consistent with innocence, and where the charges were dismissed. Requires the State to pay advance compensation to any petitioner who was convicted in a court of the State, imprisoned for at least one year, and whose judgment of conviction was reversed or vacated, or was pardoned, on grounds consistent with innocence. Requires the Comptroller to issue a warrant for payment of advance compensation to a petitioner. Requires the Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to contract with a community-based agency to assign a case manager to a petitioner upon the petitioner's release. Requires the State to provide medical coverage to a person for a certain duration upon the reversal or vacation of the person's judgment of conviction on grounds consistent with innocence and where the charges were dismissed. Provides that the Judiciary and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall retain jurisdiction over the person for the purposes of effectuating this process. Authorizes the State to seek reimbursement from the applicable county for any losses incurred by the State pursuant to this process. Requires the Department of the Attorney General to submit an annual report to the Legislature. Clarifies eligibility to seek compensation for individuals whose judgment of conviction was reversed or vacated, or who were pardoned, on grounds consistent with innocence, and where the charges were dismissed. Shifts the burden of proof to the State to prove by a preponderance of evidence that the reversal or vacation of the judgment of conviction for a petitioner, or the pardoning of the petitioner, was inconsistent with innocence. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2030: RELATING TO CORRECTIONS.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for purchasing body cameras for adult correctional officers to wear while on duty at state correctional facilities, beginning on or after 7/1/2027.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed · Hawaii · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 2586: RELATING TO TAXATION.

Applies the retail or higher general excise tax or use tax rate to purchases or imports of new motor vehicles by rental car companies and requires the revenue to be deposited into the Hawaiian Home Lands Special Fund. Establishes the Hawaiian Home Lands Special Fund. Appropriates funds for a position in the Department of Taxation. Appropriates funds out of the Hawaiian Home Lands Special Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2709: RELATING TO BIOSECURITY.

Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish rules to enforce the Akamai Arrival Program. Requires DAB to strengthen enforcement of plant and non-domestic animal quarantine and microorganism importations. (SD1)

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2627: RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM.

Based on the provided context, a detailed summary of SB 2627 cannot be generated. The bill's official abstract states only "Short form bill," and no substantive policy provisions, mechanisms, or affected parties are described in the available information. The recent actions (e.g., referral to the EDT committee, upcoming hearing) indicate procedural steps but reveal no concrete legislative content. Without specific text or policy details, describing what the bill does or who it affects is not possible. The context lacks sufficient information to fulfill the requested summary.

passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2718: RELATING TO THE FOOD HUB PILOT PROGRAM.

SB 2718 allocates funding to the Food Hub Pilot Program, which supports local food distribution networks connecting farmers to consumers. The bill directly affects food hubs - community-based centers that aggregate and distribute locally grown food - and the communities they serve. It establishes a temporary program (effective July 1, 2050) funded through state appropriations, with no specific eligibility rules detailed in the abstract. This is a funding measure, not a policy change to existing laws.

Bill results