Informing the Legislature that on June 8, 2026, the Governor signed the following bill into law: SB2671 SD1 HD2 CD1 (ACT 119).

This bill authorizes mayors in Hawaii counties to run four-year pilot programs designed to speed up and improve the quality of permit processing for housing and infrastructure projects. The key mechanism allows counties to designate specific permit review and processing roles as "essential permitting positions," which qualify for a minimum 15% salary differential to help attract and retain staff. Additionally, the program mandates that hiring for these critical roles be prioritized over other positions and requires job offers to be made within 14 days of an interview. Counties participating in the pilot must set aside funds to cover the extra pay, new hires, and potential performance bonuses tied to meeting specific milestones.