This bill appropriates $200,000 to the Department of Human Services to hire specialists who provide domestic violence training and consultation to child welfare staff across Hawaii. The funding is intended to help workers better identify and support families where domestic violence is a factor in child abuse or neglect reports. The program will offer both virtual and in-person guidance to improve how the agency handles these sensitive cases. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026, and applies to all child welfare offices in the state.
This bill directs the state to increase Medicaid funding for residential care services in community foster family homes and expanded adult residential care homes. The legislation appropriates $1.7 million for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to raise reimbursement rates to the "medium" level identified in a 2022 study, addressing previous funding gaps that hindered providers from offering employee benefits. The Department of Human Services must secure the maximum available federal matching funds and explore other private grants before spending the money. These changes are designed to help care providers operate sustainably and expand options for older Hawaiians who need long-term care closer to home.
This bill establishes a state-supported credit enhancement program designed to help local lenders provide smaller-dollar loans to small businesses in Hawaii. By creating a loan loss reserve funded through borrower fees, lender contributions, and state matching funds, the program aims to reduce financial risk for lenders and encourage them to offer affordable capital to entrepreneurs who might otherwise struggle to secure financing. The initiative specifically targets startups, sole proprietors, and very small employers to keep financial activity within the state and support business growth in geographically isolated and high-cost areas.
This bill, signed into law by the Governor of Hawaii on July 7, 2026, bans the sale of disposable electronic smoking devices statewide starting January 1, 2027. The legislation defines these devices as non-refillable units with non-rechargeable batteries intended for single use and prohibits any person or entity from selling, offering for sale, or distributing them. Violations of the ban are subject to a fine of up to $100 per day for each instance. The law aims to address environmental concerns such as plastic pollution, hazardous waste from lithium batteries, and fire risks associated with improper disposal of these products.
This bill clarifies that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are enrolled in specific Medicaid waiver programs can live in community care foster family homes without losing their waiver benefits. It amends state statutes to ensure that residency in these homes is not denied solely based on a person's disability status or their participation in a particular Medicaid program. The legislation also updates regulations for these homes, including requirements for caregiver age, continuing education, and limits on how long primary caregivers can be absent while maintaining staffing standards.
This bill establishes an income tax credit for film and digital media productions operating in Hawaii to encourage local investment in the industry. The credit provides a percentage of qualified production costs, offering 22% for projects in counties with over 700,000 residents and 27% for those in smaller counties, with an additional 5% bonus for productions that hire at least 80% local workers. To claim the credit, producers must submit sworn statements and independent third-party certifications detailing their spending and hiring practices to state agencies. The total credit available per production is capped at $20 million, though this limit does not apply to projects with at least $60 million in qualified costs, while the overall annual credit pool is set at $60 million.
This bill requires all health insurance plans in Hawaii, including Medicaid managed care programs, to cover the cost of continuous glucose monitors for individuals diagnosed with diabetes starting after December 31, 2026. The law mandates that these devices be covered when prescribed by a healthcare professional and deemed medically necessary, regardless of whether the patient uses insulin. Coverage includes the cost of necessary repairs or replacement parts for the monitors, though standard copayments and deductibles may still apply. The legislation aims to improve diabetes management and reduce long-term healthcare costs by ensuring consistent access to this monitoring technology across the state.
This bill, signed into law by Governor Josh Green on July 6, 2026, strengthens Hawaii's existing Food and Product Innovation Network to better support local agriculture and food security. It requires the network to integrate food safety regulations, establish specific performance metrics to track its success, and coordinate logistics with tourism and transportation agencies to help local products reach national and international markets. Additionally, the law mandates that the network align its branding efforts with state initiatives like "Hawaii Made" to reduce confusion and promote the state's products more effectively. These changes aim to improve the network's governance and ensure it meets the state's goals for economic diversification and agricultural value-added manufacturing.
This bill, signed into law by Governor Josh Green on July 7, 2026, establishes new penalties for interfering with access to health care facilities in Hawaii. It prohibits individuals from physically blocking entry or exit, making repeated calls intended to disrupt operations, or threatening harm to patients, staff, and property owners. While the law imposes criminal fines and jail time for violations, it explicitly preserves the right to peaceful expressive conduct, such as labor demonstrations and strikes. The legislation defines affected parties broadly to include patients, healthcare workers, and facility owners, allowing them to seek civil remedies against those who obstruct access.
This bill establishes a new legal framework in Hawaii allowing individuals to sue for civil damages if their private intimate images are shared without consent. It defines intimate images as photos or videos showing a person in a state of undress or engaged in sexual conduct and protects these images even if they were taken in public places, provided the person did not agree to the exposure. The law creates specific exceptions where sharing is allowed, such as for law enforcement, medical treatment, reporting illegal activity, or matters of public interest. Additionally, parents and guardians are generally shielded from liability for sharing images of their children unless the sharing was explicitly prohibited by other laws.
This bill directs the Hawaii Department of Human Services to update how it certifies households for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. It requires that most households be certified for a minimum of twelve months, while those consisting entirely of adults aged sixty or older must be certified for at least twenty-four months. Additionally, the department must join a federal project to simplify applications for elderly and disabled individuals, which includes extending recertification periods to thirty-six months for these groups and waiving required interviews where federal law permits. The state agency is also tasked with seeking necessary federal approvals to implement these changes and submitting progress reports to the legislature by 2029 and 2030. These provisions are scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2028.
This bill, signed into law as Act 196, establishes a new felony offense in Hawaii for the nonconsensual sharing of intimate or private images, directly affecting individuals who distribute such content and those who become victims of image-based sexual abuse. The law criminalizes intentionally disclosing or threatening to disclose photos or videos of someone in a state of nudity or engaging in sexual conduct, as well as images depicting self-harm, when done to coerce the victim into performing acts, providing more images, engaging in sexual activity, paying money, or influencing family court cases. It specifically classifies this behavior as a class B felony and includes aggravating circumstances where the offender is an adult targeting a minor or vulnerable adult, or when the disclosure causes bodily injury or death to the victim.
