HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
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Rep. Greggor Ilagan, Chair |
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Rep. Ikaika Hussey, Vice Chair |
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Rep. Adrian K. Tam |
Rep. Kyle T. Yamashita |
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Rep. Shirley Ann Templo |
Rep. Joe Gedeon |
NOTICE OF HEARING
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DATE: |
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 |
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TIME: |
8:30 am |
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PLACE: |
VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE Conference Room 423 State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
Click here to submit testimony and to testify remotely or in person.
A live stream link of all House Standing Committee meetings will be available online
shortly before the scheduled start time.
Click here for the live stream of this meeting via YouTube.
A G E N D A
Testimony submitted for the cancelled hearing on March 13 should be re-submitted for this hearing in order to be considered.
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RELATING TO PERMITTING. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to develop a statewide permitting intake platform implementing certain recommendations of the Simplifying Permitting for Enhanced Economic Development Task Force. Appropriates funds for the development of the platform, subject to a matching funds requirement from the counties. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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ECD, WAL, FIN |
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RELATING TO ESSENTIAL PERMITTING POSITIONS. Authorizes a mayor to establish a pilot program to improve the speed, accountability, and quality of permit processing through targeted staffing, performance incentives, and interdepartmental competition within participating counties. Authorizes a mayor to designate any number of positions as essential permitting positions across departments involved in permit review, permit processing, or both. Authorizes the payment of a minimum differential payment to assist in employee recruitment and retention. Authorizes the hiring of essential permitting positions at salaries above the minimum salary within the approved salary range. Requires personnel departments to prioritize the hiring of individuals into essential permitting positions over other positions. Authorizes counties to use revenues from the county surcharge on state tax pursuant to pay for pilot program expenses. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Sunsets 6/30/2031. Effective 4/19/2042. (SD1)
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ECD, LAB, FIN |
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RELATING TO THE HAWAII FILM STUDIO. Provides an exemption to dispositions of lands set aside for film studio and film studio operation from prior approval of the Board of Land and Natural Resources pursuant to section 171-11, HRS, thus streamlining the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's use of the Hawaii Film Studio for filming activity and other film-related business in order to more efficiently develop Hawaii's film, media, and creative industries. Repealed 6/30/2030 if Hawaii film studio has not changed locations as of that date. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)
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ECD, WAL, FIN |
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RELATING TO MARINE AFFAIRS. Declares that the State is an ocean cluster. Establishes the Office of Marine Affairs under the Governor's Office for administrative purposes only. Establishes the Marine Affairs Coordinator position. Requires the Marine Affairs Coordinator to submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. Transfers the employees and functions of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Marine Affairs to the Office of Marine Affairs. Appropriates funds for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Marine Affairs Coordinator position. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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ECD, WAL, 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. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)
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ECD, WAL, FIN |
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RELATING TO STATE FACILITIES. Allows the naming rights of the Stadium Facility to be leased to any public or private entity. Requires any revenues derived from advertising or marketing in or on the Stadium Facility to be deposited into the Stadium Development Special Fund. Authorizes the display of the name of any entity that leased the naming rights to a stadium operated by the Stadium Authority on the exterior of the stadium. Exempts concessions within the Stadium Facility from chapter 102, HRS. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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ECD, WAL, FIN |
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RELATING TO STATE ENTERPRISE ZONES. Amends the definition of "eligible business activity" for Enterprise Zone Program purposes to include retail sales of tangible personal property manufactured and sold in an enterprise zone that is to be used or consumed by the purchaser and not for resale, the processing of value-added agricultural products grown within an enterprise zone, and the provision of professional services by health care professionals in health care-related sectors. Extends the eligibility period of the state business tax credit and general excise tax exemption for qualified businesses within state Enterprise Zones from 7 years to 9 years. Extends the eligibility period of the general excise tax exemption for qualified businesses within state Enterprise Zones engaged in the manufacturing of tangible personal property or the producing or processing of agricultural products from 10 years to 12 years. Makes the extension of the state business tax credit eligibility period applicable to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Makes the extension of the general excise tax exemption eligibility period take effect on 1/1/2028. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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ECD, AGR, 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 for activities protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution or immigration enforcement operations. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)
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ECD, JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY. Prohibits the Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Taxation, and Department of the Attorney General from appointing or employing certain former United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Border Patrol agents and employees as law enforcement officers. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)
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ECD, LAB, JHA |
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RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS. Requires the Director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to make certain contact information for newly registered entities available online. Requires the Director to transmit the contact information to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's Business Development and Support Division. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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ECD, CPC, FIN |
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RELATING TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. Requires operators of conversational artificial intelligence services in the State to issue certain disclosures to account holders and users. Requires operators to develop protocols to prevent the production of suicidal ideations in account holders and users. Establishes protections for account holders and users of conversational artificial intelligence services. Establishes protections for minor account holders and users of conversational artificial intelligence services. Beginning January 1, 2028, requires operators to submit annual reports to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs containing certain information. Allows the Department of the Attorney General to bring a civil action against operators who violate certain requirements. Establishes statutory penalties. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)
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ECD, CPC, JHA |
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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) 586-6530.
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________________________________________ Rep. Greggor Ilagan Chair |
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