Informing the Legislature that on July 2, 2024, the Governor signed the following bill into law: HB2343 HD1 SD1 (ACT 164).

This bill, known as Act 164, changes how wage payment violations are enforced in Hawaii by allowing cases to be filed in district court instead of only in circuit court. The primary goal is to make the legal process more efficient and faster for employees who need to recover unpaid wages from employers. Under the new rules, the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations can file a certified copy of a final wage order in any court where the employer does business, and the resulting judgment will be final with no right to appeal. The law applies only to violations that occur after its effective date and does not change rights or penalties for cases that were already in progress.