Sen. Troy Hashimoto

Beginning 2/5/2026, extends the period for a notice of termination of a rental agreement from five business days to ten calendar days; requires landlords, or their agents, and tenants to engage in mediation and requires landlords and their agents to delay filing an action for summary possession if a tenant schedules mediation; requires landlords or their agents to provide specific information in the ten-calendar-day notice to tenants; and requires mediation to take place within thirty days from the date that a mediation center makes contact with both the landlord, or the landlord's agent, and tenant. Requires the Judiciary to submit a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 2/4/2028 but preserves the extension of the period for a notice of termination of a rental agreement from five business days to ten calendar days. (CD1)

Allows the Governor to negotiate land exchanges, subject to approval by the Board of Land and Natural Resources, to acquire lands that are suitable for long-term diversified agricultural production in exchange for land for private affordable, workforce, or other housing development. Requires a report to the Legislature. (CD1)

Maddy summarySB 119 appropriates state funds to establish a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program at the University of Hawaii Maui College. This program would directly benefit students seeking nursing careers by creating a new academic pathway at the Maui campus. The bill provides the necessary funding to develop and operate the program, covering program creation and operational costs.

Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to assist inmates with obtaining civil identification cards and other identification documents within a certain time. (HD1)

Maddy summarySB 292 creates legal protection for survivors of sexual exploitation who seek medical care or contact law enforcement. It shields them from being prosecuted for minor offenses like drug possession or prostitution that occurred during their exploitation. This applies specifically when survivors access services through official channels to report or receive care. The bill is currently under committee review, with a public hearing scheduled for February 6, 2025.

Extends the sunset date of the Illegal Fireworks Task Force from 6/30/2025 to 6/30/2030 and extends the annual reporting requirements to the Legislature. (CD1)

Prohibits the importation of firewood into the State unless the firewood is certified as heat-treated and labeled accordingly or the importation is authorized and permitted by the Department of Agriculture before importation. Requires persons who import firewood into the State to maintain, and make available on request, records of imports for at least two years. (CD1)

Requires the Legislature, in establishing or reviewing a revolving fund, to ensure the revolving fund is financially self-sustainable by either annual projections that show that the revolving fund will be sustainable without appropriations of general funds or a schedule of projected collections of outstanding payments to the revolving fund. (CD1)

Requires one voting member of the Early Learning Board to have experience as a local provider of early childhood education and development services. Adds the Director of the Hawaii Head Start State Collaboration Office as an ex officio, nonvoting member to the Early Learning Board. Requires the Early Learning Board to invite the President of the Head Start Association of Hawaii, or their designee, to serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the Board. (CD1)

Appropriates funds for the continued implementation of the Food Hub Pilot Program, including the awarding of grant moneys to qualifying food hubs. (CD1)