THE SENATE

KA AHA KENEKOA

 

THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2026

 

COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND TECHNOLOGY

Senator Brandon J.C. Elefante, Chair

Senator Rachele Lamosao, Vice Chair

 

AMENDED NOTICE OF HEARING

 

DATE:

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

TIME:

3:00 PM

PLACE:

Conference Room 225 & Videoconference

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

 

PHOTO ID REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE TO THE STATE CAPITOL

BUILDING HOURS: 7AM TO 5PM, MONDAY - FRIDAY

 

The Legislature is accepting written, videoconference, and in-person testimony at public hearings.

A live stream of all Senate Standing Committee meetings will be available on the Senate YouTube Channel.

 

 

A M E N D E D  A G E N D A

 

HB 2271, HD2

      (HSCR1158-26)

      Status & Testimony

MAKING EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COST ITEMS.

Makes emergency appropriations for collective bargaining cost items for the members of bargaining units (1) and (10) and their excluded counterparts to resolve issues related to temporary hazard pay for fiscal year 2025-2026.  (HD2)

 

LBT, WAM

HB 2324, HD2

      (HSCR1047-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO THE HAWAII OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH LAW.

Repeals the requirement that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations regulate hoisting machines and certify their operators and the Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board, including its rules requiring a separate state crane operator certificate.  Allows additional time for the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations to complete an investigation of a discharge or discrimination complaint pertaining to employees exercising rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Law without formal extension.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD2)

 

LBT, JDC

HB 2387, HD1

      (HSCR792-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION MEDICAL BENEFITS.

Expands workers' compensation medical benefits for firefighters to include coverage for adenocarcinoma or mesothelioma of the respiratory system; cancer of the buccal cavity, cervix, colon, esophagus, ovary, pharynx, skin, female reproductive organs, including the uterus, endometrium, and fallopian tubes, and thyroid; and malignant melanoma.  Specifies that an employer may deny medical benefits under workers' compensation law only if they prove that the cancer or disease was not associated with firefighting duties.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

LBT, WAM

HB 2116, HD2

      (HSCR800-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO GRANTS.

Appropriates funds to the Office of Community Services (OCS) to award grants to certain nonprofit organizations.  Establishes an evaluation and selection committee to oversee the awarding of grants.  Requires an applicant for a grant to provide certain documentation on activities that qualify for community engagement hours to qualify for the grant.  Appropriates funds for positions in OCS and for the Department of the Attorney General to assist OCS in reviewing contracts and monitoring costs.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD2)

 

LBT, WAM/JDC

HB 1682, HD1

      (HSCR911-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INTIMATE IMAGES.

Enacts the Uniform Civil Remedies for Unauthorized Disclosure of Intimate Images Act.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

LBT, JDC

HB 2468, HD1

      (HSCR1162-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS.

Requires experience gained by an intern in a state internship program to be applied towards experience needed to meet minimum qualifications for civil service positions.  Authorizes the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to contract with trade organizations for on-the-job training.  Removes restrictive eligibility requirements for interns, aligning internship experience with civil service minimum qualification requirements.  Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and Department of Human Resources Development to develop guidelines for participation in an internship program.  Transfers certain program responsibilities to the Department of Human Resources Development.  Appropriates funds.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

LBT, WAM

HB 2091, HD2

      (HSCR1153-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO PETITIONS TO TEMPORARILY RESTRAIN AND ENJOIN HARASSMENT OF AN EMPLOYEE.

Establishes a two-year pilot project to authorize public employers to petition for temporary restraining orders and injunctions against employment-related harassment of certain public employees.  Sunsets 6/30/2028.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD2)

 

LBT, JDC/WAM [Measure added on 3-13-26]

 

 

 

 

Decision Making to follow, if time permits.

 

All testimony received by the Hawai‘i Senate is posted on the Hawai‘i Legislature's website, which is accessible to the public. Please do not include private information that you do not want disclosed to the public.

 

Please go to the Legislature's website, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov, to submit written testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. Create a free account on the website, or sign in to an existing account, then click on the "Participate" drop down menu and select the "Submit Testimony" option to get started. While submitting your written testimony, you will be prompted to indicate if you would also like to testify at the hearing in-person or remotely via videoconference.

 

Please note the following:

 

·         The number of oral testifiers and/or time allotted to each testifier may be limited by the Chair when necessary to adhere to the committee hearing schedule. We may not be able to accommodate everyone who requests to testify orally.

·         Testifiers for this hearing will be limited to 1 minute each.

 

If you wish to testify via videoconference during the hearing, please review the detailed step-by-step instructions for testimony procedures before you submit your written testimony. Here's a direct link to the instructions: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/docs/testimonyinstructions.pdf

 

For general help navigating the committee hearing process, please contact the Public Access Room at (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. You can also visit their website at https://lrb.hawaii.gov/par/.

 

For special assistance: The cable TV broadcast and/or live stream of this meeting will include closed captioning. If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, please call the committee clerk at the telephone number listed below or email LBTcommittee@capitol.hawaii.gov. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.

 

For amended notices: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are underscored.  If a measure is both underscored and stricken through, that measure has been deleted from the agenda.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 808-586-6230.

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________

Senator Brandon J.C. Elefante

Chair