KA ‘AHA KENEKOA
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2025
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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, February 19, 2025 |
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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 HAWAII EMPLOYMENT SECURITY LAW. Expands the circumstances where the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations may waive the requirements for individuals to register to work and report to an employment office to be eligible for unemployment benefits. Authorize the Department to allow individuals to report to a location other than an employment office or other location approved pursuant to its rules. Beginning 4/1/2027, requires notices of determinations and documentation relating to appeals to be sent electronically, unless the election for mail is made. Allows an individual to change an elected withholding status more than once during a benefit year. Repeals the statutory definition of "registered for work" or "registration for work". Repeals the requirement for individuals to post their work availability online to be eligible for unemployment benefits. (SD1)
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LBT, WAM/JDC |
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RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. Establishes the Agricultural Enforcement Program within the Department of Law Enforcement. Establishes the Agricultural Enforcement Special Fund. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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AEN/PSM, WAM/JDC |
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RELATING TO INSURANCE FOR HAWAII CONDOMINIUM PROPERTIES. Requires property insurers to offer discounts on a condominium association's annual insurance premium if the association adopts specific risk mitigation upgrades or develops comprehensive disaster response plans. Requires property insurers of condominiums to base premium increases on actuarial justifications that reflect actual risk reduction resulting from upgraded fire safety improvements installed in conjunction with a building fire and life safety evaluation. Requires property insurers of condominiums to justify premium increases above ten per cent. Requires property insurers of condominiums to publicly report premium increases each year. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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CPN, WAM/JDC |
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RELATING TO EVICTION MEDIATION. Beginning 2/5/2026, extends the period for a notice of termination of a rental agreement from 5 business days to 10 calendar days. Requires landlords to engage in mediation and delay filing an action for summary possession if a tenant schedules or attempts to schedule mediation. Requires landlords to provide specific information in the 10-calendar-day notice to tenants. Requires mediation to take place within 30 days from the date that a mediation center makes contact with both the landlord and tenant. Appropriates funds. Repeals 2/4/2027. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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CPN, WAM/JDC |
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RELATING TO BIOSECURITY. Renames the Department of Agriculture as the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (Department). Establishes a Deputy Chairperson for Biosecurity. Requires the Department to establish an emergency response team to respond to biosecurity events. Authorizes the Department to establish transitional facilities. Requires the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to license and train biosecurity inspectors to inspect imported plants and animals. Requires inspection of various items transported interisland. Increases penalties for illegally transporting plants, animals, and microorganisms. Requires the Department to establish government-industry agreements to detect and respond to unwanted organisms in Hawaii. Authorizes pest management plans to address, contain, or eradicate pests. Transfers the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Department. Authorizes the Department to adopt rules to establish and enforce the Plant Care Component Program. Authorizes the Department to assess administrative penalties for the enforcement of the program. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD1)
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AEN/TCA/CPN, WAM/JDC |
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RELATING TO CHANGES TO RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CONCERNING PATIENTS, THE COUNTY OF KALAWAO, AND THE KALAUPAPA SETTLEMENT. Establishes the Kalaupapa State Historical Area. Authorizes the Department of Health to continue providing services statewide to Hansen's disease patients living in the community. Repeals sections of chapter 326, Hawaii Revised Statutes, upon the one-year anniversary of the passing of the last patient resident of Kalaupapa as affirmed in the Governor's proclamation. Requires the Department of Health to include Ka Ohana O Kalaupapa and a topside community organization from Molokai in the transition planning team. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)
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HHS/EIG, WAM/JDC |
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RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS. Establishes within the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority the Condominium Loan Program to provide qualified condominium associations with low-cost financing or refinancing on previously obtained loans for maintenance or repair projects. Establishes the Condominium Loan Loss Reserves Program to incentivize community development financial institutions into providing loans at competitive rates and terms to condominium associations for the purpose of allowing condominium associations to make necessary maintenance or repairs. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds into and out of the Condominium Loan Revolving Fund. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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CPN/EDT, WAM/JDC |
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RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. Prohibits any vehicles from blocking marked crosswalks. Requires a person under arrest who refuses to submit to a breath, blood, or urine test to surrender their license to a law enforcement officer. Increases the duration of the suspension of a license when a person is arrested for driving under the influence and refuses to submit a breath, blood, or urine test. Allows the appeal of any license suspension to be filed with the administrative driver's license revocation office. Authorizes the State Highway Safety and Modernization Council to implement an additional twenty-five photo red light imaging detector systems. Authorizes the Department of Transportation to implement an additional twenty-five automated speed enforcement systems in school zones as designated by the Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee. Establishes requirements for the State Highway Safety and Modernization Council. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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TCA, WAM/JDC |
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RELATING TO CORRECTIONS. Restricts the use of restrictive housing in state-operated and state-contracted correctional facilities, with certain specified exceptions. Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to develop written policies and procedures regarding restrictive housing by 7/1/2026. Requires the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission to review certain housing placements. Requires the Department to develop policies and procedures to review committed persons placed in restrictive housing and develop a plan for committed persons currently in restrictive housing by 4/1/2026. Requires a report to the Legislature and Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission. Effective 7/1/2077. (SD1)
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PSM, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO IDENTIFICATION. Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, in collaboration with various agencies and upon request of the inmates, to assist inmates in obtaining the inmates' civil identification card, birth certificate, social security card, and other relevant identification necessary for successful reentry into society, as soon as practicable. Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to initiate the process of obtaining identifying documents for inmates released to work furlough, extended furlough, or community placement programs, by providing the forms necessary for the inmate to obtain civil identification cards and other identifying documents to the inmate as soon as practicable.
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PSM, JDC/WAM |
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PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE HAWAII CONSTITUTION TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO CONTRACEPTION. Proposes an amendment to article I of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to protect a person's right to obtain contraceptives and engage in contraception. (SD1)
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HHS, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO PESTICIDES. Requires the Department of Agriculture to use consistent units of measurement in its summary to the public on the amounts of restricted use pesticides applied. Establishes a one-half mile buffer zone for pesticides around schools during normal school hours and state and county public parks. (SD1)
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AEN, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO FIREWORKS. Amends multiple definitions and penalties for fireworks offenses, including heightened penalties if another person suffers substantial bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death as a result of the fireworks offenses. Establishes criminal offenses of general fireworks or articles pyrotechnic prohibitions in the first and second degree; sending or receiving fireworks or articles pyrotechnic by air delivery; distributing fireworks or articles pyrotechnic to non-permit holder; removal or extraction of pyrotechnic contents; consumer fireworks prohibitions; refusal to provide identification; and violating requirements of carrier. Establishes an adjudication system and procedures to process fireworks infractions. Appropriates funds. (SD1)
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PSM/TCA, 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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