SB 1545 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO NEPOTISM.

Summary

Repeals language in the State's Code of Ethics that exempts the legislative and judicial branches from prohibitions against nepotism in public employment. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Last action Mar 21, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB1545 → SB1545_HD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill expands the State of Hawaii's nepotism laws to cover employees of both the legislative and judicial branches, not just the legislature. It removes previous exemptions that allowed these branches to hire or supervise relatives without restriction, aligning them with ethical standards applied to other state employees.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded from applying only to legislative employees to now including both legislative and judicial branch employees.

SCOPE

Removed the exemption for legislative and judicial branch employees from nepotism prohibitions, now requiring them to follow the same ethical rules as other state employees.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific rules prohibiting employees from hiring, supervising, or awarding contracts to relatives or household members, with limited exceptions for physical impairments or when proper disclosure and recusal procedures are followed.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from 'upon approval' to July 1, 3000 (likely a placeholder or error in the draft).

DEFINITION

Added formal definitions for 'household member' and 'relative' including specific family relationships and the Hawaiian hanai custom.

ENFORCEMENT

Added provisions for administrative fines, voidable contracts, and the ability for the state ethics commission to grant exceptions for good cause.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from LMG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1433) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on LMG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Holt, Quinlan, Ichiyama, Morikawa; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Matsumoto.

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to LMG, JHA, referral sheet 17

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 15).

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 3 (Senator(s) Gabbard, Kouchi, Richards). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 9:25AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to JDC.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 22, 2025

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

5 primary · 2 co-sponsors