Labor & Employment

passed both · Hawaii · Senate May 1, 2026

SB 2706: RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

Establishes a five-year Agriculture and Biosecurity Workforce Development Pilot Program within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii's Leeward Community College and the Department of Human Resources Development. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 6/30/2031. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes workforce development pilot program to train agricultural/biosecurity workers, enhancing job readiness and employment opportunities through education partnerships.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · House Apr 23, 2026

HB 2455: RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.

Requires certain employers to provide administrative leave of absence for victims of workplace violence or threat of workplace violence. Expands the type of certification an employee may provide to an employer if the leave exceeds five days per calendar year. Prohibits retaliation against employees for exercising rights related to domestic violence, sexual violence, or workplace violence or threat of workplace violence. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires paid/unpaid leave for workplace violence victims, expanding worker protections and safety benefits per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · House Apr 23, 2026

HB 2273: 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 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds collective bargaining costs and negotiated salary adjustments for public employees, directly supporting worker representation and wage negotiations under collective bargaining.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · House Apr 21, 2026

HB 2005: RELATING TO LANGUAGE ACCESS.

HB 2005 establishes a statewide language access education and workforce development program at the University of Hawaii, funded through state appropriations. The program aims to train workers in language access services, directly impacting the University of Hawaii system and future state workforce development efforts. It requires the university to develop training curricula and implement the program, with funding allocated for this purpose. The bill is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 3000 (a date likely reflecting a typo in the official record).

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds language access program at University of Hawaii, directly supporting higher education workforce development and educational access through state appropriations.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds workforce development program training workers in language access services, advancing employment standards through skill-building and state-funded workforce preparation.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SB 3090: MAKING EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COST ITEMS.

Makes emergency appropriations for collective bargaining cost items for the members of bargaining units (1) and (10) and their excluded counterparts to resolve issues related to temporary hazard pay for fiscal year 2025-2026. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill makes emergency appropriations for public employment cost items, increasing government spending on essential workforce compensation for fiscal year 2025-2026.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds collective bargaining costs for public employees to resolve temporary hazard pay issues, directly supporting workers' rights and collective bargaining under labor & employment.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · House Apr 2, 2026

HB 480: RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

Authorizes an attending physician to request a functional capacity examination and refer an injured employee for the examination without first obtaining permission from the employee's employer. Allows licensed occupational and physical therapists to be deemed qualified to perform functional capacity examinations. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows physicians to refer injured workers for functional capacity exams without employer permission, improving access to healthcare services for workplace injury cases.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves employer permission barrier for medical exams, streamlining access to workers' compensation evaluations and protecting injured workers' rights under compensation process.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 1572: RELATING TO AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT.

Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to: (1) Establish a 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. Sunsets 6/30/2030. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly increases aquaculture workforce via Restorative Aquaculture Development Program and lists 'Workforce Development' as a subject, directly advancing employment growth in the sector.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 2391: RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Provides annual salary step increases for public schools and public charter school teachers who have completed one year's satisfactory service and comply with specified requirements, if negotiated into a collective bargaining agreement pursuant to section 89-9, HRS, and subject to funds appropriated by the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides annual salary increases for public school teachers under collective bargaining, directly supporting educator compensation and retention in K-12 education.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides annual salary increases for teachers via collective bargaining, directly advancing wages and labor rights under Labor & Employment policies.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 1604: RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING.

Establishes an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural workforce housing in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingAppropriates funds for Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group to address housing shortages, directly advancing affordable housing access for a specific workforce.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAddresses agricultural workforce housing shortages, supporting employment standards by improving living conditions for workers.65% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 2117: RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND.

Allows impasses and disputes relating to the amounts of State and county contributions to the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund to be resolved by arbitration. Repeals the prohibition against strikes by members of bargaining units on the issue of the amounts of State and county contributions to the Trust Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRepeals prohibition on strikes regarding contribution disputes, strengthening collective bargaining rights for union members on health benefits funding.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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