Labor & Employment

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 872: RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Allows newly graduated high school students to be eligible for workers' compensation coverage during the summer following their high school graduation while participating in Department of Education-sponsored work-based learning programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables high school graduates in DOE work-based programs to access workers' comp, enhancing student safety and program participation in educational transitions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExtends workers' compensation coverage to high school graduates in work-based learning programs, enhancing workplace safety protections for a vulnerable group.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education K-12 Education Child Labor Workers' Compensation

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 2460: RELATING TO PRIVATE SECTOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS.

Expands under certain circumstances the types of employees protected by the Hawaii Employment Relations Act to include independent contractors and all individuals subject to the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands collective bargaining rights to include independent contractors and NLRB-covered workers under Hawaii Employment Relations Act, strengthening worker protections and unionization rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Gig Economy

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 2292: RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION MEDICAL TREATMENT.

Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish a medical treatment utilization schedule to standardize treatment for injured employees involved in workers' compensation claims.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentStandardizes medical treatment for injured workers under workers' compensation, ensuring consistent access to care and protecting workers' rights through evidence-based scheduling.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 1290: RELATING TO LABOR.

Establishes a Portable Benefits Program under the administration of a board of trustees to provide portable benefits to gig workers. Expands the Hawaii Retirement Savings Program to gig workers. Appropriates funds.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes portable benefits and expands retirement savings for gig workers, directly advancing worker benefits under Labor & Employment policies95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Retirement Benefits

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 997: RELATING TO ENERGY.

Requires an attestation or declaration regarding project labor standards, including adherence to state-approved apprenticeship programs and prevailing wage requirements, for covered large-scale renewable energy generation projects. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyRequires labor standards for renewable energy projects, facilitating development through apprenticeship/wage requirements, directly advancing renewable energy infrastructure.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires prevailing wage and state-approved apprenticeship adherence for renewable energy projects, strengthening labor standards and worker protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renewable Energy Apprenticeships Labor Standards

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passed both · Hawaii · House Apr 2, 2026

HB 714: RELATING TO HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

Appropriates funds to support educational training programs to expand the State's health care workforce, including funding to support health care certification programs offered in public high schools and education programs that support certified nurse assistants in becoming licensed practical nurses. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates funds for health care workforce training, increasing state budget allocation for public education and health services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds health care certification programs in public high schools and nurse assistant education programs, directly advancing educational opportunities in K-12 settings.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds health care workforce training programs, expanding certified nurse assistant pathways to LPN licensure, directly advancing healthcare workforce development through appropriations.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds healthcare workforce training programs, enabling career advancement for workers like nurse assistants, directly supporting employment standards and worker development.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Professional Licensing Workforce Development

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Jan 22, 2026

SB 2020: RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

SB 2020 allocates state funds to support the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy's Space Science and Engineering Initiative Workforce Development Program. The bill directly affects the University of Hawaii system by providing financial resources for this specific program, which focuses on training and developing a skilled workforce in space science and engineering fields. Its key provision is the appropriation of moneys to the designated program, with no other substantive policy changes or mechanisms outlined in the abstract. The bill is currently pending committee review after its introduction and first reading.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates state funds for UH astronomy workforce program, directly funding a public education initiative through budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates state funds to UH's workforce development program in space science/engineering, directly supporting higher education initiatives and STEM workforce training.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds UH's Space Science Workforce Development Program, directly supporting employment standards through skilled worker training and program-specific funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Higher Education Workforce Development

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in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 2446: RELATING TO THE WAGE AND HOUR LAW.

Authorizes the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish a Community Wage Theft Enforcement Partnership Program and enter into contracts or memoranda of agreements with community-based organizations to enhance outreach, referral, and recovery of stolen wages. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAuthorizes wage theft enforcement program with funding to recover stolen wages, strengthening worker protections under wage law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1353: RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COST ITEMS.

Appropriates funds for collective bargaining cost items for the members of bargaining unit (8) 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. Declares the expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2025-2026 is exceeded. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates funds for public employee bargaining costs and salary adjustments, exceeding expenditure ceiling, directly increasing government spending on personnel.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAppropriates funds for collective bargaining costs and salary adjustments, directly supporting public sector workers' negotiation rights under labor agreements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Government Spending State Budget Collective Bargaining Public Employees

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in committee · Hawaii · House Mar 10, 2026

HR 4: REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO PASS LEGISLATION TO AMEND THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND GENDER IDENTITY IN EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS, EDUCATION, FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS, CREDIT, AND JURY SERVICE.

Hawaii's House Resolution 4 requests the U.S. Congress to pass the Equality Act, which would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The proposed federal law would extend these protections to employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, and jury service. Hawaii already provides these protections through state law (including Act 40 of 2022), but federal law currently lacks such coverage in many areas. This resolution serves as a formal request to Congress to close the gap in nationwide non-discrimination protections.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly extends anti-discrimination protections to housing under Equality Act, preventing housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation/gender identity, strengthening worker protections under Civil Rights Act.95% confidence

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