HB 755 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO PAID FAMILY LEAVE.

Summary

By 1/1/2028, requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish a family and medical leave insurance program and begin collecting payroll contributions to finance payment of benefits. By 1/1/2029, requires the Department to start receiving claims and paying benefits under the program. Specifies eligibility requirements and employee protections under the program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB755_HD1 → HB755_HD2 · 8 edits

MODERATE

HB 755 was amended to split the original 'family and medical leave' into two distinct categories: 'family leave' and 'medical leave'. This change clarifies the definitions, eligibility criteria, and benefit calculations for each type of leave separately. The bill also updated references to federal laws to include the year 1993 and modified how certain terms like 'employer' and 'wages' are defined to align with state statutes.

Scope change

The bill's scope was refined by separating family leave and medical leave into distinct categories throughout the text, ensuring that benefits, definitions, and protections are explicitly applied to each type individually rather than as a combined unit.

DEFINITION

Changed the definition of 'benefit year' and related terms to specify that family leave and medical leave are tracked separately.

Updated the definition of 'medical leave' to reference section -2(b) specifically, distinguishing it from family leave.

Revised the definition of 'retaliatory personnel action' to list specific adverse actions like demotion and discharge in a clearer order.

ELIGIBILITY

Adjusted eligibility requirements to ensure both family and medical leave benefits are payable only after accumulating at least eight hours of combined benefits.

REQUIREMENT

Updated notice requirements for employers to explicitly inform employees of their rights to both family leave and medical leave insurance benefits.

TECHNICAL

Corrected references to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act to include the year 1993 for accuracy.

Changed the directive for the department to 'adopt rules' instead of 'issue regulations' to align with state administrative procedures.

TIMELINE

Updated the effective date language to specify that benefits will begin when the department starts paying both family and medical leave insurance benefits.

HB755 → HB755_HD1 · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill version updates the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI) program with significant changes to eligibility thresholds, benefit definitions, and administrative timelines. The most critical change is raising the minimum earnings requirement for coverage from $400 to $5,040 over 52 weeks, which will likely reduce the number of eligible employees. The bill also introduces a new 'designated person' definition, clarifies the 'benefit year' calculation, and adjusts the effective date of the program to July 1, 3000, while maintaining the 2029 start date for actual benefit payments.

Scope change

The bill's scope is narrowed regarding eligibility due to the higher wage threshold, while the scope of protected family relationships is expanded to include designated persons and siblings' spouses. The program's operational timeline is extended significantly.

ELIGIBILITY

Raised the minimum earnings requirement for employee eligibility from $400 to $5,040 over the preceding 52 weeks, significantly reducing the pool of eligible workers.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'designated person,' allowing employees to choose a specific individual (related by blood or equivalent association) to care for during leave.

Changed the definition of 'application year' to 'benefit year,' clarifying that the period begins when a valid claim is filed rather than when an application is submitted.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that claims must be filed within 90 days after the need for leave arises, in addition to allowing filing up to 45 days in advance.

Added a prohibition requiring employers to maintain health benefits during medical leave to the extent provided under existing workers' compensation law (HRS 393-15).

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 3000, while keeping the operational start date for benefits at January 1, 2029.

FISCAL

Updated the initial funding transfer date in the trust fund from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2026, to cover start-up costs earlier.

TECHNICAL

Corrected various formatting inconsistencies, including changing 'application' to 'claim' throughout the text and fixing section numbering styles.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Kong, Muraoka, Pierick voting no (5) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 788) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Marten, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Kong; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Lowen, Tam.

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Committee

Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 235) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Kong, Reyes Oda.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to LAB, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

17 primary · 0 co-sponsors