KA ‘AHA KENEKOA
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
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Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz, Chair |
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Senator Sharon Y. Moriwaki, Vice Chair |
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Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, Chair |
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Senator Carol Fukunaga, Vice Chair |
NOTICE OF DECISION MAKING
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DATE: |
Tuesday, March 3, 2026 |
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TIME: |
10:16 AM |
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PLACE: |
Conference Room 211 & Videoconference State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
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TIMESLOT: |
WAM |
PHOTO ID REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE TO THE STATE CAPITOL
BUILDING HOURS: 7AM TO 5PM, MONDAY - FRIDAY
A live stream of all Senate Standing Committee meetings will be available on the Senate YouTube Channel.
A G E N D A
The following measure(s) were previously heard in their respective subject matter committees:
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RELATING TO HEALTH CARE PLANS FOR WORKERS. Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, in consultation with the Insurance Commissioner, to establish and implement a five-year voluntary Nontraditional Workforce Portable Health Care Benefit Plan Pilot Program that offers high deductible health plans or catastrophic health plans to nontraditional workers who are ineligible for health benefits provided by the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund or prepaid health care plans under the Prepaid Health Care Act. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)
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LBT, WAM/CPN
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RELATING TO COCONUT TREES. Establishes recognition of coconut trees as a source of food and water, and as a cultural treasure. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish rules to allow the use of coconut tree seed banks in the State. Requires owners or operators of property where any coconut tree is located to post and maintain a sign that clearly indicates that the coconut tree is a landscape palm, when applicable. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish labeling standards for non-consumable landscape palms. Establishes an income tax credit for consumable coconut trees maintained through natural management practices. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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AEN/WLA, WAM/CPN
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RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII. Establishes a Name, Image, and Likeness Endowment Fund to be administered by the University of Hawaii to compensate student athletes. Requires an initial corpus of a certain amount for the Name, Image, and Likeness Endowment Fund and requires interest to be deposited into the Fund. Prohibits the allocation of all, or any portion of, the corpus of the Name, Image, and Likeness Endowment Fund. Requires UH to establish a Name, Image, and Likeness Program. Requires UH to establish criteria for the Name, Image, and Likeness Program and a formula for the distribution of funds to student athletes. Requires student athletes being compensated for their name, image, and likeness to retain a registered athlete agent. Allows a student athlete's parent or legal guardian to represent the student athlete in areas agreed to by the student athlete. Requires UH to submit an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. (SD1)
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EDU/EDT, WAM/CPN
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RELATING TO PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS. Establishes requirements for pharmacy benefit managers that reimburse contracting pharmacies for drugs on a maximum allowable cost basis, including maximum allowable cost lists, maximum allowable cost reports, and a complaint process. Requires pharmacy benefit managers to disclose lower-priced equivalent drugs when a maximum allowable cost is upheld on appeal. Allows contracting pharmacies to reverse and rebill claims if a maximum allowable cost is denied on appeal. Authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to adopt rules and assess fines for violations. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/30/2050. (SD1)
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HHS, CPN/WAM |
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RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE. Establishes a 3-year Health Coverage Continuity Pilot Program to be administered by the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, to subsidize the cost of certain health insurance deductibles for eligible individuals. Authorizes the Department to contract with a nonprofit health insurer or community-based organization to operate the Pilot Program; provided that the Department shall allow the operator to access state-backed reinsurance or risk stabilization support for the operation of the Pilot Program. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Repeals 6/30/2029. (SD1)
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HHS, CPN/WAM
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RELATING TO PESTICIDES. Requires quarterly rather than annual reporting of certain uses of restricted use pesticides. Amends the contents of reports to include specific geospatial data and information and increased detail on the amount of restricted use pesticides used. Exempts wood preservative pesticides from reporting requirements. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to develop an online reporting tool for restricted use pesticides. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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AEN, CPN/WAM |
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RELATING TO EQUITY. Requires all places of public accommodation and public entity construction projects designed after 7/31/2027 to provide at least one universal changing accommodation within the building in a public restroom, with certain exceptions. Makes conforming amendments to sections 489-6, 489-7.5, and 489-8, HRS, to prevent conflict among the provisions. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD1)
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GVO/HHS, CPN/WAM
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RELATING TO OUTDOOR SIGNAGE. Requires the display of outdoor advertising devices, including digital outdoor signage devices, to be allowed within the Waikiki Special District and requires the adoption of necessary county ordinances. 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. (SD1)
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EDT, CPN/WAM
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RELATING TO LEI. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to convene a working group that shall identify, gather, and report on any existing studies or assessments conducted or data assembled by the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity or University of Hawaii on flower farms, lei materials, and the capacity of local floriculture to meet public and private demand; conduct a study of the State's floriculture industry; and submit a report to the Legislature. Sunsets the working group on 6/30/2027. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD1)
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GVO, CPN/WAM
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RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY. Defines "portable solar generation device" and establishes certain requirements for their regulation and use exclusively within units in condominiums organized pursuant to Chapter 514B, HRS. Requires the Public Utilities Commission or a person or organization chosen by the Commission to establish an online registration system. Clarifies that portable solar generation devices are subject to certain approval procedures for installation in condominiums. Requires reports to the Legislature. Effective 4/19/2042. (SD1)
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EIG, CPN/WAM |
Decision making meeting only, no oral testimony will be accepted.
Persons wishing to submit written testimony may do so up to 24 hours prior to the hearing. Click here to submit written testimony.
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.
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 WAMcommittee@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)586-6800.
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_____________________________________ Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Chair |
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_____________________________________ Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz Chair |
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