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HB 158 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

HB 158 would allow workers who participate in labor strikes to qualify for unemployment benefits, directly affecting striking employees who were previously ineligible. The bill changes current rules that automatically disqualify strikers from receiving benefits by removing this barrier. Key provisions establish that striking workers meet standard eligibility requirements for unemployment assistance, provided they meet other criteria like prior work history. The bill is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2000, as stated in the official abstract.
Issues: ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves automatic disqualification of striking workers from unemployment benefits, expanding eligibility under standard criteria per bill summary.95% confidence
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Last action Feb 11, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB158 → HB158_HD1 · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill updates Hawaii's unemployment benefits law to modernize disqualification rules, clarify what constitutes suitable work, and align penalty assessments with current statutes. It also corrects a future effective date to a realistic timeframe.
Scope change
The bill expands eligibility protections for workers refusing certain types of work (strikes, wage cuts, union requirements) and clarifies disqualification periods for false statements.
ELIGIBILITY

Updated disqualification periods for voluntary separation and misconduct to require earning five times weekly benefits instead of five consecutive weeks of employment for weeks after October 1, 1989.

Added specific protections allowing workers to refuse work without losing benefits if the position is vacant due to labor disputes, wages are substantially lower than local standards, or employment requires joining/leaving a union.

ENFORCEMENT

Revised penalty assessments for overpaid benefits to include a 15% penalty amount and updated criminal penalties for falsely obtaining benefits to reflect current statutory thresholds.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 3000 (an error) to a realistic implementation date, though the specific date was not finalized in this version.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
7
Key actions
1
Committee
3
Feb 11, 2025
Committee
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 321) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
lower
Jan 21, 2025
Committee
Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 1
lower
Jan 16, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
lower
Jan 14, 2025
Introduced
Prefiled.
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.