Labor & Employment

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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in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 1121: RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS FROM CIVIL SERVICE FOR CERTAIN POSITIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

HB 1121 would exempt specific positions within Hawaii's Department of Health - including roles at Hawaii State Hospital - from standard civil service hiring requirements. This means those positions would no longer require competitive exams or adherence to typical state employee hiring procedures. The bill directly affects hiring for these targeted health department roles, allowing direct appointments without civil service oversight. It aims to streamline staffing for critical health facilities by removing standard civil service barriers.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExempts health department positions from civil service hiring, removing competitive exam requirements and standard employment protections for those roles.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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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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in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 1388: RELATING TO RETIRANTS.

Allows a retirant to be employed without reenrollment in the Employees' Retirement System and without loss or interruption of retirement benefits if the retirant is employed as an investigator in a position identified by the Department of Law Enforcement or Department of the Attorney General as a labor shortage or difficult—to-fill position, subject to certain conditions. Requires the director of human resources of the appropriate state jurisdiction to include in the director's annual report to the Legislature, details on the employment of retirants as investigators. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill addresses law enforcement labor shortages by enabling retiree employment as investigators without benefit loss, directly supporting staffing needs in criminal justice agencies.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAllows retirees to work without losing retirement benefits in labor shortage investigator roles, protecting their employment rights and addressing workforce needs.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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passed · Hawaii · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1522: RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION.

HB 1522 extends the time period to file a discrimination complaint with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission from the current limit to one year. This change directly affects individuals who experience discrimination in Hawaii, giving them more time to seek redress through the Commission. The bill’s key provision modifies the statute of limitations for filing such complaints, allowing a full year from the alleged discriminatory act to submit a formal complaint. The bill is currently pending before the House Judiciary Committee for further review.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExtends statute of limitations for discrimination complaints, strengthening worker protections under Labor & Employment by providing more time to seek redress.90% confidence

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