SB1195 (Act 171), signed into law by Governor Green on June 3, 2025, prohibits street parking within 20 feet of any crosswalk or intersection statewide, regardless of signage. This directly affects drivers (who cannot park in these zones) and pedestrians, particularly children walking to school, by improving visibility and safety at high-risk locations. Fines collected from parking violations in these zones must be deposited into Hawaii’s Safe Routes to School Program special fund, which finances infrastructure improvements like crosswalk enhancements. The law amends Hawaii Revised Statutes Sections 291C- and 291C-4 to implement these changes, with limited exceptions for emergency vehicles or stalled cars.
This document is a governor's notification (GM 1260) that SB1263 (ACT 160) was signed into law on June 3, 2025. The law modifies Hawaii's historic preservation process by setting a 90-day review deadline for the Department of Land and Natural Resources (or 30 days if no historic properties are affected) on housing and development projects. It requires "complete submittal" packages including detailed site plans, surveys, and documentation for projects near historic sites. The law also creates expedited review for residential transit-oriented developments in designated zones with low risk to historic resources, aiming to balance housing development with cultural preservation. This affects developers, county agencies, and the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
This bill amends Hawaii's election fraud statute (HRS §19-3) to clarify prohibited conduct. It specifically adds that unconcealed carrying of firearms within 200 feet of polling places constitutes intimidation, prohibits offering money, gifts, or valuable things to influence voting, and clarifies that voting in multiple states' primary elections is allowed if voters were properly registered in each state with intent to make it their legal residence. The law directly affects voters, candidates, and election workers by defining new boundaries for lawful election behavior. These changes reinforce election integrity by explicitly addressing intimidation tactics and voter inducements.
This is not a legislative bill but a governor's certification (GM 1266) confirming that Governor Green signed **HB1298** into law on June 3, 2025. HB1298 establishes a **government employee housing program** through Hawaii's housing finance corporation, creating affordable rental units on state-owned land near transit sites. It prioritizes new and existing state employees (60% of units for those at or below 140% of median income), followed by county employees and the public, with former employees allowed to stay up to 12 months after leaving. The program is funded by an existing dwelling unit revolving fund and aims to retain state workers while increasing affordable housing near transit corridors.
This bill (SB576, enacted as Act 155) requires state corporations and authorities to submit detailed annual reports to the governor and legislature. It mandates reporting on program development, expenditures, and financial audits, including descriptions of current and planned programs, actual and projected spending, and annual audit results. These reports must be submitted 20 days before each regular legislative session. The bill directly affects state corporations and authorities operating under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 201H and Chapter 356D. The requirements aim to increase transparency in how public funds are managed and spent.
This is a notification (GM 1264) from Governor Green confirming that SB662 (Act 164) was signed into law on June 3, 2025. The law authorizes county police officers to enforce Hawaii's statewide traffic code on all public streets, roadways, and highways, including federal and state roads within counties. It amends Hawaii Revised Statutes to explicitly grant county officers this authority for traffic violations. The policy change directly affects county police departments and drivers operating on public roads across Hawaii. The bill is now effective law.
This document (GM 1262) is a notification that Governor Green signed **SB1298** (Act 162) into law on June 3, 2025. The law amends Hawaii’s recycling statutes by **redefining "electronic device"** to include computers, monitors, TVs (9+ inches), peripherals (keyboards, mice, speakers), and video game consoles, while **excluding** items like car parts, medical equipment, appliances (e.g., refrigerators), and telephones. It also **redefines "manufacturer"** to cover companies that sell electronics under their own brand, import them, or manufacture without branding. These changes directly affect **electronics manufacturers** and importers, requiring them to manage recycling for covered devices under Hawaii’s extended producer responsibility program.
This bill (SB 479, now Act 150) amends Hawaii's ABLE Savings Program law to streamline funding and boost participation. It repeals a provision allowing the director of finance to redirect ABLE program deposits and instead authorizes direct incentive payments to account owners to encourage savings. The law appropriates $75,000 for the trust fund, $13,000 for incentive payments, and $62,000 to fund a dedicated outreach position within the state council on developmental disabilities. These changes directly affect eligible individuals with disabilities who use Hawaii's ABLE program to save for qualified expenses without losing benefits. The law became effective upon the governor's signature on June 3, 2025.
This law amends Hawaii Revised Statutes to clarify employment rules for the Hawaii Tourism Authority. It allows retirees to be rehired by the Authority without losing retirement benefits, provided they weren't employed by the state or county in the six months prior and had no prior agreement to return to work. The law also specifies that the Authority's president and CEO must be appointed by the board, with compensation that cannot include private sector funds. These changes streamline hiring for the Authority while maintaining retirement benefit integrity.
HB961 (Act 135) establishes a two-year pilot program to address librarian shortages in Hawaii public schools. It allocates $132,308 to fund two full-time equivalent (FTE) certified librarian positions - one for a school complex on Oahu and one for a school complex on a neighbor island - starting July 1, 2025. The program requires the Department of Education to report findings and recommendations to the legislature before the 2026 and 2027 sessions, with a final recommendation on extension by 2027. This directly affects 258 public elementary/middle/high schools, as only 75 had librarian positions in 2025.
This bill temporarily increases Hawaii's Department of Education's small purchase procurement limit for local food items from $25,000 to $250,000 per year. It exempts purchases of local edible produce and packaged food products under this threshold from mandatory electronic procurement, instead requiring at least three written quotes for such purchases. The change supports the DOE's mandate to source 30% locally grown food for public schools by 2030. The policy adjustment is effective July 1, 2025, and expires June 30, 2028.
HB1179 (Act 144) establishes a state licensing process for rural emergency hospitals in Hawaii, enabling rural hospitals to adopt a federal designation focused on emergency, observation, and outpatient services (including lab and imaging) while discontinuing underutilized inpatient care. The bill ensures Medicaid reimbursement policies will continue for hospitals transitioning from critical access hospital status to this new designation. It allows hospitals to access federal Medicare reimbursement policies that provide a fixed annual payment of about $3.2 million and higher outpatient rates without requiring patients to pay additional fees. This law directly affects rural hospitals like Lanai Community Hospital, helping them redirect resources to high-demand services such as long-term care and skilled nursing.
