Labor & Employment

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 & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly aims to 'increase the aquaculture workforce' through its Restorative Aquaculture Development Program, directly advancing employment growth in the sector.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 18, 2026

SB 2158: RELATING TO VETERINARIANS.

Establishes the Veterinarian Workforce Development Special Fund. Establishes the Veterinarian Workforce Development Loan Repayment and Scholarship Program to support qualified veterinarians committed to or currently working in veterinary medicine in the State. Authorizes the Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine to enter into agreements, including memoranda of understanding, with the University of Hawaii, the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, and accredited out-of-state schools to increase the availability of accredited veterinary programs and licensure opportunities to residents of the State. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides loan repayment and scholarships for veterinarians, supporting workforce development in a specific profession within labor/employment context.70% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 18, 2026

SB 2968: RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT.

Requires hotelkeepers to supply and provide annual training on the proper use and limitations of a panic button to certain workers no later than 1/1/2027. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates hotelkeepers to provide panic button safety training to hospitality workers, strengthening workplace safety protections per Labor & Employment topic indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 13, 2026

SB 3282: RELATING TO THE WORKFORCE PELL GRANT PROGRAM.

Establishes a statewide framework for the implementation of the federal Workforce Pell Grant Program to provide financial aid for certain short-term workforce education and training programs. Establishes a Workforce Pell Grant Program Approval Committee within the Workforce Development Council. Authorizes the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to adopt rules. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes state framework for federal workforce training grants, directly advancing job skills development under Labor & Employment policy.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 13, 2026

SB 2025: RELATING TO JURY DUTY.

SB 2025 allows actively practicing advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to claim exemption from serving on jury duty. This bill directly affects APRNs who are currently working in their specialty roles. The key provision removes the requirement for these nurses to fulfill jury service obligations, instead permitting them to formally request exemption. The change aims to address workforce needs by reducing scheduling conflicts for nurses providing critical healthcare services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts APRNs from jury duty to maintain healthcare workforce continuity, reducing scheduling conflicts for critical patient care services.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExempts APRNs from jury duty to reduce scheduling conflicts, supporting workforce stability in critical healthcare roles by protecting employment continuity.90% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 2872: RELATING TO RETIRED EDUCATION EMPLOYEES.

Repeals the requirement that retirants rehired as teachers or administrators serve in a teacher shortage area identified by the Department of Education. Requires retirants rehired after 6/30/2026 as teachers or administrators in Department or charter schools to be paid the entry level salary for the teacher or administrator position as negotiated in the collective bargaining unit contract. Prohibits retirants rehired after 6/30/2026 from receiving additional employment benefits. Requires the DOE to adopt rules. (SD1)

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationReduces benefits for rehired retirees by capping pay at entry level and prohibiting additional benefits, directly limiting teacher compensation.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRequires rehired retirants to accept entry-level pay and prohibits additional benefits, reducing compensation compared to prior roles and limiting employment benefits.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 2796: RELATING TO TAXATION.

Imposes the manufacturing general excise tax rate on motion picture, digital media, and film productions and repeals the provision in the definition of "qualified production costs" that applied the term to mean costs incurred that are subject to the highest general excise tax rate. Exempts from the general excise tax amounts received by a motion picture project employer from a client company equal to amounts that are disbursed by the motion picture project employer for employee wages, salaries, payroll taxes, insurance premiums, and employment benefits and payments to loan-out companies. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill exempts employee wages from tax for motion picture employers, creating a tax break for industry, reducing government revenue.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExempts employee wages/salaries from tax, directly reducing tax burden on labor costs for film workers.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 2120: RELATING TO TRANSFER OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

Requires the State, Legislature, and counties to amend rules and policies to ensure that certain employees can transfer accrued vacation and sick leaves if rehired by the State or a county within one calendar year of separation under certain conditions. Extends the allowable break in service for purposes of determining certain state and county contributions to the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund from ninety calendar days to 180 calendar dars under certain conditions. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill ensures transfer of accrued vacation/sick leave and extends health benefits eligibility for rehired public employees, protecting worker benefits continuity.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 3092: MAKING EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COST ITEMS.

Makes emergency appropriations for collective bargaining cost items for the members of Bargaining Unit (14) and their excluded counterparts, including the cost of salary adjustments negotiated between the State and the bargaining unit representative for fiscal biennium 2025-2027. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides emergency appropriations for public employment cost items, increasing state spending on salaries for public employees, aligning with funding essential programs.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds collective bargaining costs and salary adjustments for public employees, directly supporting workers' negotiation rights and wage protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 2841: RELATING TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

By July 1, 2027, requires the Department of the Attorney General to develop a Human Trafficking Awareness Training Program to educate and train workers in the transient accommodations sector. Requires transient accommodations employers and transient accommodations third-party contractors to periodically provide the human trafficking awareness training to certain employees and contract workers and keep records of the training. By January 1, 2028, requires transient accommodations employers and transient accommodations third-party contractors to post signage regarding human trafficking awareness. By October 1, 2027, requires transient accommodations employers and transient accommodations third-party contractors to develop and implement a human trafficking prevention policy that includes procedures for the reporting of suspected human trafficking.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires human trafficking prevention training and reporting protocols, enhancing victim protection and law enforcement response within criminal justice framework.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates human trafficking awareness training for transient accommodations workers, directly enhancing workplace safety and protecting against exploitation in the labor sector.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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