HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
|
Rep. Chris Todd, Chair |
|
Rep. Jenna Takenouchi, Vice Chair |
|
Rep. Daisy Hartsfield |
Rep. Dee Morikawa |
|
Rep. Ikaika Hussey |
Rep. Amy A. Perruso |
|
Rep. Sue L. Keohokapu-Lee Loy |
Rep. Shirley Ann Templo |
|
Rep. Lisa Kitagawa |
Rep. Kyle T. Yamashita |
|
Rep. Matthias Kusch |
Rep. David Alcos III |
|
Rep. Mike Lee |
Rep. Joe Gedeon |
|
Rep. Tyson K. Miyake |
Rep. Julie Reyes Oda |
NOTICE OF HEARING
|
DATE: |
Monday, March 2, 2026 |
|
TIME: |
10:00 a.m. |
|
PLACE: |
VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE Conference Room 308 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 #1
|
RELATING TO SINGLE-USE PLASTICS. Prohibits the distribution, sale, or use of single-use plastic food ware containing plastic with regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances by businesses beginning on 1/1/2028. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
EEP, CPC, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY. Requires each state agency to expeditiously use energy efficient lighting. Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office to provide technical assistance and survey state agencies for compliance, prioritizing first responder facilities. Requires the Department of Accounting and General Services to assist the Hawaii State Energy Office in conducting the survey. Requires a report of the survey to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
EEP, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO CESSPOOL CONVERSIONS. Establishes and appropriates funds for a cesspool conversion revolving loan fund, to be administered by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, to provide financial assistance, including low-interest or forgivable loans, to eligible homeowners for the upgrade, conversion, or connection of cesspools. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
EEP, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO ENERGY. Increases the environmental response, energy, and food security tax and the amount collected from the tax that is deposited into the electric vehicle charging system subaccount. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to transfer funds from the hydrogen fueling system subaccount to the electric vehicle charging system subaccount. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
EEP, TRN, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO WASTEWATER SYSTEMS. Establishes a Cesspool Conversion Implementation Working Group to assist the Department of Health in a review of the Department's administrative rules and practices regarding wastewater systems and cesspools and in the development of proposed changes to make cesspool conversions more affordable. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds for positions and hiring of a consultant to assist the Cesspool Conversion Implementation Working Group. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
EEP, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO CESSPOOLS. Beginning 1/1/2027, requires sellers to provide buyers with a cesspool disclosure form before the execution of a real estate purchase contract. Requires the Department of Health and Real Estate Commission to develop a standardized cesspool disclosure form by 11/1/2026. Establishes penalties. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
EEP, CPC, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO CENTRALIZED ACCESS TO RESOURCES. Requires and appropriates funds for the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to develop, implement, and maintain a centralized resource website to connect residents to support and resources to address affordability, health, safety, and the impacts of climate change. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
EEP, WAL, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO CONSERVATION MITIGATION BANKS. Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources and certain public or private entities to operate conservation banks, subject to approval from the Board of Land and Natural Resources, for situations where a person or entity is required to provide compensatory mitigation to offset adverse impacts to threatened, endangered, candidate, or proposed species as part of an approved incidental take license and habitat conservation plan. Adds the associate director of the United States Geological Survey, Ecosystem Mission Area, to the membership of the Endangered Species Recovery Committee. Requires the Endangered Species Recovery Committee to review applications and proposals for conservation banks and conduct subsequent reviews and oversight. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
EEP, WAL, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE. Establishes a goal of the State to retrofit state facilities to be electric vehicle charger-ready. Requires the design of all new state building construction where parking is to be included to provide that at least twenty-five per cent of parking stalls be electric vehicle charger-ready. Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office, in consultation with all state agencies that have parking facilities, to conduct a survey and identify certain high-priority state facilities. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
EEP, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO CESSPOOLS. PART II: Allows certain extensions of the deadline for cesspool conversions. Establishes a goal for the Department of Health to prioritize the upgrade, conversion, or connection of cesspools that pose the highest risk to human health or the environment. PART III: Authorizes and appropriates funds to the Department of Health to retain qualified consultants as necessary to identify necessary public outreach and education resources and tools and develop a comprehensive public outreach strategy and website to educate property owners and wastewater industry professionals about information and resources regarding the State's cesspool upgrade, conversion, and connection requirements and deadlines. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
EEP, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO COMMERCIAL AQUARIUM COLLECTION. Prohibits the harvest of aquatic life for commercial aquarium purposes, regardless of the method of collection, in counties with a population greater than 200,000 and less than 300,000. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
EEP/WAL, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY. Amends the renewable energy technologies income tax credit by: beginning 12/31/26, limiting claims for certain solar energy systems that are not third-party financed systems and installed and placed in service on a single-family residential property to taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of $250,000 or less if filing as an individual or $350,000 or less if filing jointly; removing certain cap amounts for solar energy systems that are not third-party financed systems; and increasing the maximum adjusted gross income an individual taxpayer must be below in order to be eligible to have any excess credits refunded and limiting credit refundability to systems that are not third-party financed systems. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
EEP, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO WATER HEATING SYSTEMS. Authorizes building permit variances for certain high-efficiency electric water heating systems utilizing heat pump technology. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
EEP, WAL, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT. Establishes a Green Fee Special Fund to receive an allocation of green fee revenues. Establishes various special funds to receive allocations of green fee revenues. Requires the Governor to request, through a bill separate from the budget or supplemental budget, an amount that approximates green fee revenues subtracted from the amounts allocated to the various funds to be expended for certain climate change and tourism destination management projects. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
EEP/TOU, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION. Specifies that the county annual vehicle registration fee shall not exceed the state annual motor vehicle registration fee. Specifies that the counties are required to spend a certain portion of the collected revenues from county motor vehicle registration fees and weight tax on roadway repair and maintenance. Specifies that the county annual vehicle weight tax shall not exceed the state annual vehicle weight tax. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
TRN, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. Requires the Department of Transportation to administer a statewide program for certification of active intelligent speed assistance systems and select a vendor for the installation and maintenance of systems. Limits the civil liability of motor vehicle manufacturers, distributors, and retailers for active intelligent speed assistance systems. Makes circumventing or tampering with an active intelligent speed assistance system a misdemeanor. Allows the Judiciary to impose the installation of active intelligent speed assistance systems as an additional penalty and as part of a license suspension or revocation for repeat offenders of certain traffic violations. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
TRN, JHA, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. Establishes the Administrative Hearings Division within the Department of Transportation and transfers certain administrative hearing powers to the Division, including matters related to transportation network company permit appeals, automated red light camera and speed enforcement traffic citations, and commercial driver's license appeals. Allows authorized employees of the Department of Law Enforcement to review images produced by the automated red light camera and speed enforcement systems. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
TRN, JHA, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. PART I: Requires sellers and licensed dealers to ensure that a motor vehicle is equipped with a front number plate mounting bracket or device. Requires a seller, licensed dealer, or owner to securely fasten number plates on vehicles. PART II: Amends the Traffic Code relating to street racing. PART III: Expands the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program to high-risk locations of state or county highways as determined by the Department of Transportation, under certain conditions. Appropriates funds. PART IV: Allows counties to use automatic license plate recognition systems to identify vehicles without current inspection or registration certificates and issue citations with fines waivable if compliance is demonstrated. Establishes data privacy and retention requirements. Allows counties, in coordination with the Department of Transportation, to use red light and speed camera systems for enforcement. PART V: Authorizes the installation of cameras on the stop arm of a school bus to record footage for evidence of a violation for passing or overtaking a school bus while the bus is stopped and its visual signals are turned on. Amends the fines for passing or overtaking a school bus while the bus is stopped and its visual signals are turned on. Appropriates funds. PART VI: Specifies that the Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Safety Office shall administer the Photo Red Light Imaging Detector Systems Program Special Fund and Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund. PART VII: Clarifies language relating to photo red light enforcement, automated speed enforcement, and penalty provisions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
TRN, JHA, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. Removes county-specific expenditure restrictions for funds in the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund. Requires unencumbered and unexpended revenues from the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund in excess of a certain amount as of June 30 of each year to lapse to the general fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
TRN, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO TRAFFIC SAFETY. Appropriates funds to the Department of Transportation to install pedestrian safety improvements at sites abutting school properties, with consideration for other sites. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
TRN, EDN, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO TAXATION. Applies the retail or higher general excise tax or use tax rate to purchases or imports of new motor vehicles by rental car companies. Appropriates funds for a position in the Department of Taxation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
TRN, ECD, FIN |
|
|
|
|
|
DECISION MAKING
The following measure(s) were previously heard on Friday, February 27, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. No public testimony will be accepted.
|
RELATING TO LAVA ZONE INSURANCE. Establishes a Lava Zone Insurance Special Fund to subsidize the cost of insurance premiums for properties in lava zones 1 and 2. Defines lava zones 1 and 2. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
CPC, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO THE LIQUOR TAX. Replaces the defined liquor categories subject to the liquor tax with alcohol-by-volume categories, but with a separate rate for beer manufactured by a small craft producer pub licensee. Adjusts the liquor tax rates for inflation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
CPC, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO DECEPTIVE PRACTICES. Requires merchants that sell cosmetics to accept returns of new or unopened goods within specified timeframes. Clarifies the definition of "conspicuous sign" and expands required placement of return and refund policy signage. Beginning 7/1/2027, requires merchants that receive three or more warning letters from the Office of Consumer Protection for failure to post required signage to display standardized return and refund policy signs provided by the Office. Establishes exemptions for certain merchants. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
CPC, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS. Excludes a homeowner-developer from the annual requirement to file a developer's report and pay a fee if the homeowner's development consists of no more than two units, one in which the developer resides and one for which the initial sale of the other unit has been completed. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, CPC, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO THE LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT. Allows tax credits claimed under the State Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program to be used to offset taxes imposed by the state transient accommodations tax law. Specifies that tax credit amounts applied to state transient accommodations taxes be limited to state transient accommodations taxes imposed in the same county in which the qualified low-income building is located. Makes permanent Act 129, SLH 2016. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, TOU/ECD, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO HOUSING. Amends, for purposes of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation's Rent-to-Own Program, the period during which the sales price of a dwelling unit is required to remain fixed from five years to an option period to be determined by the Corporation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO SCHOOL IMPACT FEES. Repeals school impact fees. Abolishes and transfers unencumbered balances of the school impact fee subaccounts and certain fair share contribution accounts to School Facilities Special Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. Authorizes HHFDC to designate certain for-sale units as permanently affordable housing, subject to certain restrictions. Clarifies that certain resale and occupancy restrictions apply only to projects developed prior to a certain date. Amends the definition of "qualified resident" for the purposes of HHFDC housing development programs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO HOUSING. Repeals the sunset date of Act 45, SLH 2024, thereby making permanent the authority of the counties to share in facilitating the development, construction, financing, refinancing, or other provision of mixed-use developments, including low- and moderate-income housing projects, and issue county bonds for this purpose. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, WAL, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. Makes the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Pilot Program permanent, with modifications that include changing the method for computation of interest for purchasers of certain real property. Expands the use of proceeds in the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund to include purchasing equity in for-sale housing development projects and interim primary or secondary financing. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO BUILDING CODES. Part I: Fixes the applicable building codes, standards, and county amendments for the life of a building permit, subject to certain exceptions and rules. Part II: Specifies the applicability of the International Residential Code. Authorizes a county to adopt amendments to the Hawaii state building code, under certain circumstances, and repeals the counties' existing authority to amend or adopt the buildings code without council approval. Changes the adoption of the Hawaii state building code from a two-year cycle to a six-year cycle. Part III: Appropriates funds for the State Building Code Council for staffing and necessary consultant services. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG/WAL, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO THE RENTAL HOUSING REVOLVING FUND. Specifies the conditions upon which the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation may transfer moneys from within the Rental Housing Revolving Fund to a subaccount and between subaccounts of the fund. Clarifies what constitutes a mixed-income rental project for purposes of loans funded through the Mixed-Income Subaccount. Repeals the sunset date for the Mixed-Income Subaccount. Authorizes the Director of Finance to deposit rental housing revolving funds into, and appropriates funds into and out of, the Mixed-Income Subaccount. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. Removes the prohibition against qualified residents for Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation-approved projects holding a majority interest in land and removes the requirement that qualified residents demonstrate financial viability or ability to pay rent. Amends exemptions from statutes, ordinances, charter provisions, and rules for certain housing projects developed by the Corporation that satisfy certain conditions, including requirements related to employment, owner-occupancy, and deed restrictions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, WAL, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSING ACCOUNT PROGRAM. For taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026, increases the maximum annual deduction for contributions to, and maximum account levels for, individual housing accounts. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO GOVERNMENT. Amends Act 289, SLH 2025, to replace the Senior Residence at Iwilei parcel with the Westridge parcel, change the transfer date for the Alii Tower parcel to 12/31/2026, change the deadline for approval by the City and County of Honolulu to 12/31/2027, and change the repeal date to 1/1/2028. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
HSG, WAL, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO HOUSING. Establishes a working group to revise the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation's Qualified Allocation Plan and propose revisions to the prioritization of the Rental Housing Revolving Fund and the terms of loans made from the Rental Housing Revolving Fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO THE LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT. Clarifies that a partner or member that is a partnership or limited liability company that has been allocated a low-income housing tax credit may either further allocate the credit or transfer, sell, or assign all or a portion of the credit to any taxpayer. Extends the sunset date of Act 129, SLH 2016, relating to the low-income housing tax credit, until 12/31/2032. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO THE DOWNPAYMENT LOAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. Amends the Downpayment Loan Assistance Program by: removing the prohibition on combined loan-to-value ratios; clarifying the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation's authority to allow payment waivers and interest forgiveness; authorizing financial institutions, mortgage lenders and other loan originators to originate downpayment loans; and reducing the borrower's required personal contribution toward the downpayment. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO HOUSING. Authorizes the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to approve and certify general excise tax exemptions for certain housing development projects developed under county housing incentive programs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
HSG, ECD, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO TAXATION. Increases the tax credit for low-income household renters from $50 to $170 per exemption claimed by the taxpayer. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
HSG, ECD, FIN |
|
|
PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE VII, SECTIONS 12 AND 13, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION. Proposes constitutional amendments to expressly provide that the Legislature may authorize political subdivisions, such as the counties, to issue housing infrastructure growth bonds for specified public works, public improvements, or other actions necessary for housing and community development, and exclude these bonds from determinations of the funded debt of the political subdivisions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
HSG, JHA, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO BONDS. Authorizes the counties to implement housing infrastructure growth bonds. Conforms county debt limit statements law to permit counties to exclude housing infrastructure growth bonds from the debt limit of the counties if a constitutional amendment authorizing the use of housing infrastructure growth bonds and excluding housing infrastructure growth bonds from determinations of the counties' funded debt is ratified. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO WORKFORCE HOUSING. Establishes the Workforce Housing Regulatory Sandbox Program. Establishes an advisory council within the Workforce Housing Regulatory Sandbox Program to advise on environmental and cultural practices within specific developments. Requires reports to the legislature. Appropriates funds. Repeals 6/30/2031. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
|
HSG, FIN |
|
|
RELATING TO OFF-SITE CONSTRUCTION. Implements certain recommendations of the SPEED Task Force. Establishes a working group within the State Building Code Council to develop proposals for an off-site construction program. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
|
HSG, WAL, FIN |
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.
For remote testifiers, the House will not be responsible for bad connections on the testifier's end.
For general help navigating the committee hearing process, please contact the Public Access Room at (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov.
The livestream and/or cable TV broadcast of this meeting will include closed captioning. If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation (including oral, written, or ASL interpretive services) or are unable to submit testimony via the website due to a disability, please contact the committee clerk at 586-6200. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.
Click here for a complete list of House Guidelines for remote testimony.
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.
|
|
|
________________________________________ Rep. Chris Todd Chair |
|
|
|
|