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 Karl Rhoads, Chair |
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Senator Mike Gabbard, Vice Chair |
NOTICE OF DECISION MAKING
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DATE: |
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 |
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TIME: |
10:15 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 THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. Establishes the noise detection camera program in the Department of Transportation for the installation of noise detection cameras for the enforcement of noise control laws. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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TRS, WAM/JDC
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RELATING TO PROTECTED COMMUNITY LOCATIONS. Establishes statewide standards for state and county agencies, officers, employees, and contractors, to limit participation in civil immigration enforcement in or near protected community locations. By 1/1/2027, requires all state and county agencies that operate protected community locations to adopt and post written policies, provide annual staff training, and maintain data privacy protections. Appropriates funds for implementation by the Attorney General. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
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PSM/GVO, WAM/JDC
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RELATING TO GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION. Appropriates funds to the Judiciary for the efficient processing of temporary restraining orders and gun violence protective orders. Appropriates funds to the Department of Law Enforcement to conduct public awareness campaigns on gun violence protective orders. Effective 7/1/2055. (SD1)
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PSM, WAM/JDC
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RELATING TO THE TAKING OF MARINE DEPOSITS. Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to approve permits for research, education, management, or propagation purposes that include the taking of marine deposits seaward of the shoreline, as long as the resources will be returned to the beach if possible and that the taking poses no more than a minimal or negligible risk to the environment. Effective 1/1/3000. (SD1)
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WLA, WAM/JDC
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RELATING TO EVICTION RECORDS. Requires the Judiciary to conduct a study to determine the ability, best approaches, various issues, and potential impacts of requiring courts to disassociate a residential tenant from an eviction proceeding brought by a landlord in certain circumstances. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
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CPN, JDC/WAM
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RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Repeals the authorization of a physician to transmit a treatment plan by mail or facsimile to an address or facsimile number provided by the employer. Requires employers denying a treatment plan to file a written denial with the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations within seven days of receipt. Places the burden of proof on the employer to establish by a preponderance of medical evidence that the denial of the treatment plan is justified. Establishes a presumption that a denial of a treatment plan not supported by a medical opinion or relevant medical records existing at the time of denial shall be without reasonable grounds. Clarifies that a treatment plan is deemed accepted if an employer fails to file a written denial within the seven-day period. Requires employers to pay the appropriate health care provider for any medical care set forth in a treatment plan that is accepted or deemed accepted. Establishes penalties for employers whom the Director found to have denied a treatment plan without reasonable grounds, frivolously, or primarily for purposes of delay, or to have failed to pay for an injured employee's medical care under an accepted treatment plan. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)
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LBT/CPN, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. By 2/28/27, requires the Department of Human Services, upon obtaining a federal waiver, to establish a pre-release Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application process for inmates nearing release. Allows all individuals convicted of an offense involving the possession, use, or distribution of a controlled substance to apply for SNAP benefits, regardless of treatment status. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
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HHS, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO HEALTH. Requires electronic smoking device and e-liquid manufacturers to certify to the Department of the Attorney General annually that the manufacturer received a Marketing Granted Order from the federal Food and Drug Administration and that the manufacturer is in compliance with federal regulations and state laws. Requires the Department to compile and make public a directory of all electronic smoking device and e-liquid manufacturers and products duly certified. Establishes penalties for manufacturers that fail to comply with the certification requirements and for other parties that acquire, possess, transport, keep, sell, or offer for sale products that are not in the directory. (SD1)
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HHS/CPN, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO COMPASSIONATE RELEASE. Establishes a protocol for compassionate release for certain ill or seriously debilitated incarcerated persons. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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PSM, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION. Establishes limits on transactions through digital financial asset transaction kiosks. Requires operators of digital financial asset transaction kiosks to use blockchain analytics and tracing software to prevent fraud; make certain disclosures; provide receipts to customers; provide full refunds under certain circumstances; hold new customer transactions for a period of at least forty-eight hours; and provide live customer service and a dedicated communications line for the Attorney General, Office of Consumer Protection, Department of Law Enforcement, and county police departments. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
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CPN, JDC/WAM
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RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND. Allows impasses and disputes relating to the amounts of State and county contributions to the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (EUTF) to be resolved by arbitration. Repeals the prohibition against strikes by members of bargaining units on the issue of the amounts of State and county contributions to the EUTF. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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LBT, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO THE RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD-TENANT CODE. Beginning 7/1/2027, requires the Office of Consumer Protection to publish an accessible, multilingual notice of tenant rights online. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
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CPN, JDC/WAM
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RELATING TO IMMIGRATION. Requires state and county law enforcement agencies to notify an individual in the custody of a state or county law enforcement agency of their rights before any interview with federal immigration authorities pertaining to certain matters regarding civil immigration violations can commence. Designates all records relating to federal immigration authorities access to detained individuals provided by a state or local law enforcement agency as government records. Requires state and county law enforcement agencies that have provided federal immigration authorities access to a detained individual within the previous year to hold two public forums per year. Effective 7/1/2055. (SD1)
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PSM/EIG, JDC/WAM
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RELATING TO HEALTH. Specifies that no person is subject to liability for providing clinical preventive services in accordance with Department of Health recommendations. Requires health insurers, mutual benefit societies, health maintenance organizations, and plans established by the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust to provide coverage for clinical preventive services. Authorizes the Department of Health to make recommendations relating to clinical preventive services and issue standing orders for medications and immunizations. Clarifies that, for coverage for child health supervision services, the prevailing medical standards include recommendations by the Department of Health. Specifies that coverage for clinical preventive services shall not be denied on the basis of medical necessity or subject to prior authorization. Specifies that a registered pharmacist may order a vaccine in accordance with the recommendations from the Department of Health. Exempts this measure from an Auditor impact assessment report. Effective 1/30/2050. (SD1)
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HHS/CPN, JDC/WAM
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RELATING TO RESIDENTIAL REAL PROPERTY. Establishes penalties, including fines and liens, for an owner of residential real property's failure to remediate zoning violations. Requires, under certain conditions, county planning or permitting agencies to record the notice of violation as a lien on the property with the Bureau of Conveyances. Requires referral to the applicable county corporation counsel for foreclosure, subject to certain conditions, if the owner fails to satisfy certain conditions. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
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WLA/EIG, JDC/WAM
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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)
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TRS, JDC/WAM |
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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. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 6/30/2028. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
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LBT, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE LICENSE REVOCATION. Clarifies administrative driver's license revocation procedures by specifying the effect of the notice of administrative revocation and conforming related administrative review and hearing provisions. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
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TRS, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES. Requires certain employers to provide administrative leave of absence for victims of workplace violence or threat of workplace violence. Expands the type of certification an employee may provide to an employer if the leave exceeds five days per calendar year. Prohibits retaliation against employees for exercising rights related to domestic violence, sexual violence, or workplace violence or threat of workplace violence. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)
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LBT, JDC/WAM
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RELATING TO THE MAUNA KEA STEWARDSHIP AND OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY. Part I: Clarifies the powers of the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority so that it may carry out its intended duties regarding land use on Mauna Kea. Part II: Authorizes MKSOA to own or hold real property and transfers as a matter of law certain real property interests in the Mauna Kea lands to MKSOA. Part III: Extends the transition period to 12/1/2029; requires the University of Hawaii to transfer the various Mauna Kea astronomical observatory conservation district use permits to the astronomical observatories; and adds a reversion date of 12/1/2032. Part IV: Provides that the existing plans and administrative rules adopted or developed by UH under which Mauna Kea is currently governed remain in effect until plans and administrative rules adopted by MKSOA take effect. Part V: Clarifies that MKSOA has state sovereign immunity. Part VI: Authorizes MKSOA to extend leases and subleases before the transfer for up to an additional ten-year term. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
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WLA/EDU, JDC/WAM
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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 Karl Rhoads Chair |
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_____________________________________ Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz Chair |
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