Sen. Lorraine Inouye

Beginning 10/1/2025, requires mortuaries, cemeteries, and pre-need funeral authorities that contract to provide cremation services to provide written notice if precious metals are recovered after cremation and to obtain written consent before the sale or recycling of any recovered precious metals. Requires mortuaries, cemeteries, and pre-need funeral authorities that have contracted to provide cremation services to give certain notice of updated terms by 1/1/2026.

Prohibits the Governor or a Mayor from suspending requests for public records or vital statistics during a declared state of emergency. Allows for a reasonable delay in an agency's response to a request as a result of extenuating circumstances.

Establishes the offense of criminal street gang participation, solicitation, recruitment, or retention. Provides for enhanced penalties for crimes committed by a defendant while part of a criminal street gang.

Prohibits the Department of Health from issuing permits for commercial burning of green waste products in residential areas or within one thousand feet of a residential property.

Requires the Director of Human Resources Development to abolish vacant positions within state departments and agencies under its jurisdiction that have been vacant for more than five years. Requires a list of positions abolished to be included in the Director's annual report to the Legislature. Requires funds for abolished positions to immediately lapse to the credit of the general fund.

Maddy summarySB 1654 authorizes the transfer of specific lands currently managed by certain state agencies to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. This bill directly affects state agencies holding those lands and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which manages land for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries. The key provision is the legal mechanism enabling this transfer of jurisdiction over designated properties. The bill does not create new policy but facilitates a change in land management responsibility between state entities.

Increases the valuation threshold of development subject to a special management area minor permit or a special management area use permit from $500,000 to $750,000.

Establishes the Combat Sports Commission of Hawaii. Provides for regulation of combat sports. Prohibits no rules combat or similar contests. Repeals chapter 440E, HRS, relating to Mixed Martial Arts Contests. Appropriates funds.

Requires retirants rehired as teachers or administrators in teacher shortage areas or in difficult-to-fill positions to be paid at least the minimum salary for their experience and qualifications. Prohibits rehired retirants from receiving additional employment benefits. Directs the Department of Education to adopt rules to identify teacher shortage areas and difficult-to-fill positions.

Maddy summarySB 1580 requires government buildings in Hawaii to fly the "honor and remember" flag and the pride flag alongside the U.S. and Hawaiian flags on specified days. It directly affects public buildings and government entities that display flags on designated occasions. The bill specifies that these additional flags must be flown in coordination with the U.S. and Hawaiian flags but does not detail which specific days are required. As a procedural flag-display bill, it focuses on ceremonial protocol rather than substantive policy changes. The bill is currently in early stages (referred to committee after introduction on January 22, 2025).