HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
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Rep. Chris Todd, Chair |
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Rep. Jenna Takenouchi, Vice Chair |
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Rep. Daisy Hartsfield |
Rep. Dee Morikawa |
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Rep. Ikaika Hussey |
Rep. Amy A. Perruso |
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Rep. Sue L. Keohokapu-Lee Loy |
Rep. Shirley Ann Templo |
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Rep. Lisa Kitagawa |
Rep. Kyle T. Yamashita |
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Rep. Matthias Kusch |
Rep. David Alcos III |
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Rep. Mike Lee |
Rep. Joe Gedeon |
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Rep. Tyson K. Miyake |
Rep. Julie Reyes Oda |
NOTICE OF HEARING
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DATE: |
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 |
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TIME: |
2:00 p.m. |
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PLACE: |
VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE Conference Room 308 State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
Click here to submit testimony and to testify remotely or in person.
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A G E N D A
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RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. Establishes the Kuleana AgTech Pathways Program to create career pipelines in the fields of agriculture and agricultural technology. Requires the University of Hawaii to collaborate with the Department of Education, Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and appropriate community organizations to develop and administer the program. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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AGR, HED, FIN |
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RELATING TO THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD STATE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. Authorizes the Adjutant General to expand the Hawaii National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program to include graduate degrees at the University of Hawaii for qualified enlisted personnel in the Hawaii National Guard. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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PBS, HED, FIN |
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RELATING TO PUBLIC PROCUREMENT. Requires purchasing agencies to apply a five per cent flat rate local preference in evaluating bids or proposals from qualified Hawaii bidders or offerors who submit a timely preference certification. Establishes criteria for a bid or proposal to qualify for a local preference. Establishes requirements for the qualification and certification of Hawaii bidders and offerors and consequences for failure to maintain qualification. Requires the Procurement Policy Board to adopt rules. Effective 7/1/2525. (HD1)
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ECD, FIN |
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RELATING TO OUTDOOR SIGNAGE. Allows the display of outdoor advertising devices, including digital outdoor signage devices, within the Stadium Development District with the authorization of the Stadium Authority and subject to certain conditions. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to conduct a study on the impacts of light pollution and report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (HD1)
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ECD, FIN |
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RELATING TO ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS RESEARCH. Establishes the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Research Center of Hawaii (Research Center) within the University of Hawaii. Requires the Research Center to be administratively affiliated with the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). Requires JABSOM, the Research Center, University of Hawaii Center on Aging, and University of Hawaii at Manoa to identify opportunities to capitalize on collaboration between the parties and maximize operational efficiencies. Requires the Research Center to submit annual reports to the Legislature. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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HED, FIN |
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RELATING TO COMMUNITY CARE FOSTER FAMILY HOMES. Clarifies that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who meet an intermediate care facility or nursing facility level of care shall not be denied residency in a certified community care foster family home solely because of their disability or enrollment in a specific Medicaid waiver program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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HLT/HSH, FIN |
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RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. Requires the Department of Human Services to adjust the minimum certification periods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits households, participate in the Elderly Simplified Application Project, and report to the Legislature. Implementation effective 7/1/2028. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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HSH, FIN |
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RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. Prohibits law enforcement officers from using any personnel or funds originating in the State to assist or facilitate conduct by federal immigration agents that is for the purposes of civil immigration enforcement or exceeds their law enforcement duty or authority. Prohibits law enforcement officers from assisting or cooperating with or allowing resources to be used to facilitate federal immigration agents engaged in operations with the purpose of civil immigration enforcement or that target individuals or entities engaged in certain activities. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
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ECD, JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION. Replaces the Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission with the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT. 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 5 years with certain exceptions. Requires funds for abolished positions to immediately lapse to the credit of the appropriate fund. Requires a list of positions abolished to be included in the Director's annual report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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LAB, FIN |
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RELATING TO FIRE PREVENTION. Establishes the State Fire Code as the minimum statewide standard for fire safety. Prohibits the counties from adopting, amending, or enforcing any ordinance, rule, or code provision that is less restrictive than the State Fire Code. Establishes the State Fire and Life Safety Special Fund. Limits the frequency of fire and safety inspections at state facilities by the Office of the State Fire Marshal to no more than once every three years. Amends Act 302, SLH 2025, by replacing two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions for fire inspectors and three full-time equivalent (3.0 FTE) positions for fire investigators with four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) positions for assistant fire marshals. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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PBS, FIN |
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RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY. Establishes the Administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency as the Deputy Director of Emergency Management within the Department of Defense, under the direction of the Adjutant General. Clarifies the position's reporting structure and duties. Requires the Commission on Salaries to include the Deputy Director of Emergency Management in its recommendations for executive branch salary levels. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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PBS, LAB, FIN |
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RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. Requires the Department of Transportation to assess a per passenger head fee against cruise ships docking in the State's commercial harbors in addition to existing port user fees. Establishes the Cruise Ship Special Fund. Repeals existing law imposing the Transient Accommodations Tax on cruise ships, effective retroactive to 1/1/2026. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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TRN, TOU, FIN |
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RELATING TO THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL. Establishes one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent position for the State Building Code Council to support statewide building code coordination, permitting transparency, and modernization initiatives. Requires county reporting on building permitting performance. Requires the State Building Code Council to develop a plan for the creation of a standardized statewide permitting data system or publicly accessible dashboard and a state building code modernization and transparency initiative. Requires the State Building Code Council to develop standardized credentials and training requirements for permitting officials. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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WAL, FIN |
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RELATING TO STATE BOATING FACILITIES. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to: (1) Hold open public meetings before and as it develops a master plan regarding state small boat harbors, including the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor; (2) Finalize the master plan for state small boat harbors, including the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor; and (3) Consider the phased development of state small boat harbors, including the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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WAL, FIN |
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RELATING TO WILDFIRE MITIGATION. Establishes the Wildfire Mitigation Working Group. Requires a report to the Legislature. Requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to provide administrative support to the working group. Appropriates funds. Revises the appropriations made by Act 302, SLH 2025. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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WAL, FIN |
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DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW
Persons wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. Testimony received after this time will be stamped late and left to the discretion of the chair to consider. While every effort will be made to incorporate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the hearing or improperly identified or directed, may not be processed.
Testimony submitted will be placed on the legislative website. This public posting of testimony on the website should be considered when including personal information in your testimony.
The chair may institute a per-testifier time limit.
Committees meeting in the morning must adjourn prior to the day's Floor Session. Therefore, due to time constraints, not all testifiers may be provided an opportunity to offer verbal comments. However, written submissions will be considered by the committee.
Please refrain from profanity or uncivil behavior. Violations may result in ejection from the hearing without the ability to rejoin.
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FOR AMENDED NOTICES: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are bolded.
For more information, please contact the Committee Clerk at (808) 586-6200.
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________________________________________ Rep. Chris Todd Chair |
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