SR 117 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ESTABLISHING AND IMPLEMENTING A PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE PROGRAM FOR THE STATE.

This is a Senate Resolution (SR 117), not a bill that would become law. It requests the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to form a working group to develop recommendations for creating a state-run paid family and medical leave program. The resolution cites that only 1 in 4 private workers in Hawaii currently have access to paid leave, with many caregivers struggling to balance work and care duties. The working group would propose how to establish and implement such a program, which would directly affect private-sector employees and caregivers statewide if adopted. This is a procedural step to begin planning, not a policy change itself.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 7, 2025 Last action Apr 3, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SR117 → SR117_SD1 · 10 edits

MAJOR

The bill was substantially rewritten from a Senate Resolution requesting a legislative working group to a more detailed resolution directing the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to lead the effort. The new version expands the working group's mandate to include conducting an actuarial study, examining the Temporary Disability Insurance program, and developing specific program parameters like wage replacement systems and coverage for self-employed workers. It also adds numerous new stakeholder representatives to the working group composition.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from requesting a legislative working group to directly requesting the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to convene a working group and conduct an actuarial study. The working group's mandate was significantly expanded to include examining the existing Temporary Disability Insurance program and developing specific program parameters.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to conduct an actuarial study of the state's workforce and potential program costs

Added requirement to examine how the existing Temporary Disability Insurance program may interface with or complement the new paid family and medical leave program

Added requirement to develop specific program parameters including minimum leave duration, wage replacement system, and coverage for self-employed workers

Added requirement to utilize independent consultants and administrative facilitators to support the working group

Added requirement to submit a report with proposed legislation no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026

Added requirement for employment protections to ensure paid leave does not adversely impact employment

Expanded working group composition to include 16 specific representatives from various stakeholder organizations including insurance companies, labor unions, and advocacy groups

Changed the requesting body from the Senate Standing Committees to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

DEFINITION

Added specific program parameters including coverage for military deployment, domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault

TECHNICAL

Added metadata fields including bill numbers, dates, and document identifiers that were not present in the original version

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

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report and Resolution Adopted, as amended (SD 1).

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1548) with recommendation of adoption, as amended (SD 1).

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Aquino, Lee, C., Ihara, Moriwaki, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-24-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Committee

Referred to LBT.

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Introduced

Offered.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors