This bill, signed into law as Act 095, expands Hawaii's existing traffic safety rules to protect drivers and passengers stranded near disabled vehicles. It requires motorists approaching a stationary vehicle displaying warning signals, such as hazard lights or cones, to slow down and change lanes if it is safe to do so. The law also clarifies that violating this requirement is a traffic offense, but if an accident occurs resulting in death or injury, the driver faces more serious criminal charges like negligent homicide. Additionally, the bill prohibits people from riding in the open bed of a pickup truck unless there is no seating in the cab and specific safety conditions are met, with exceptions for emergency services and agricultural transport.
This bill strengthens Island Burial Councils in Hawaii by addressing issues that have previously hindered their ability to protect Native Hawaiian ancestral remains. It achieves this by extending the time allowed to fill vacancies, providing per diem stipends to council members to improve recruitment and retention, and adjusting the quorum requirement so that a majority of appointed members can conduct business as long as at least three members are present. These changes aim to ensure that lineal and cultural descendants have a more meaningful voice in decisions regarding burial sites, particularly on less populated islands where councils often struggle to meet attendance requirements.
This bill, signed into law as Act 089, updates Hawaii statutes to protect individuals alleging domestic abuse from being forced into mediation during family court cases. It applies to parentage, divorce, and child custody proceedings, ensuring that courts cannot require a victim to attend mediation against their wishes. Under the new rules, mediation can only proceed if the alleged victim explicitly agrees and if a specially trained mediator is used to ensure their safety. Additionally, mediators must screen for domestic abuse and cannot conduct sessions if abuse is suspected unless these safety conditions are met. The law also allows parties to bring an attorney or advocate to mediation sessions to support the alleged victim.
This bill allows small condominium associations in Hawaii with fewer than twenty units and buildings no more than two stories to skip mandatory third-party reserve study reviews for a single three-year period. To qualify for this waiver, the association must vote in favor of skipping the review, keep a record of the decision, and continue providing annual financial information to owners. The law also prevents these small associations from waiving the requirement for two consecutive three-year periods to ensure long-term financial oversight. While the exemption applies to the external review, the bill maintains existing rules requiring associations to prepare and disclose their own reserve budgets and financial details.
This bill requires Hawaii counties to publish building and civil engineering permit data on their websites in a standardized, machine-readable format to improve transparency and help address the state's housing shortage. Counties must update this data at least once a month and include specific details such as permit numbers, application and completion dates, property addresses, and whether the project is residential or non-residential. The law also mandates the creation of a statewide data standard in collaboration with state agencies to ensure that information from different counties can be easily compared and analyzed. By making this data accessible and consistent, the bill aims to reduce administrative burdens and support better tracking of permitting performance across the state.
This bill prohibits companies from sending unsolicited mail or emails that use high-pressure tactics to trick consumers into believing the sender is affiliated with a government agency, vehicle manufacturer, or insurance company. The law specifically targets scams involving requests to pay for extended vehicle warranties, home warranties, or government license renewals. To comply, senders must include a clear, bold statement confirming they are not affiliated with the entity they claim to represent and that the payment is completely optional. If a sender fails to include this required disclosure, any contract resulting from the message is voidable, and the consumer is entitled to a full refund.
This bill, signed into law on June 5, 2026, allows chiropractic students to perform clinical training under specific conditions. To qualify, students must be enrolled in an accredited program, work under the direct supervision of a licensed chiropractor who remains physically present, and obtain informed consent from patients before providing care. The legislation also requires the state board to create rules defining supervision standards and service scopes, while mandating a report to the legislature by 2027 to review implementation and patient safety. These changes will take effect on July 1, 2026, with the clinical training provisions beginning later on July 1, 2028.
This bill officially designates the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the "State of Hawaii Symphony Orchestra" to formalize its role as a significant cultural resource for the state. By making this designation, the legislation exempts the orchestra from certain financial restrictions found in Chapter 42F of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, allowing it to receive state general revenue funds without adhering to those specific qualifying standards. While the orchestra gains access to state funding to cover operating costs, the law explicitly preserves the group's autonomy and ensures that any standards regarding the use of funds still apply to any third-party contractors the orchestra hires. Additionally, the bill requires the orchestra's chief executive to submit annual reports to the legislature detailing how state funds were used in the previous fiscal year.
This bill directs the Governor to inform the Hawaii Legislature that it signed a law allocating state funds for various programs and disaster recovery efforts. The legislation appropriates money to support the operations of the agribusiness development corporation, the Hawaii technology development corporation, and the Hawaii community development authority. Additionally, it establishes funding for mass transit projects and creates a major disaster fund to address emergency response and recovery costs. A key provision allows the Governor to transfer up to $100 million from the disaster fund to other agencies if an imminent threat to public safety arises, provided the Governor notifies the legislature with a detailed justification.
This bill, known as Act 092, modernizes the process for transferring ownership of salvaged vehicles in Hawaii by allowing electronic signatures to replace traditional notarization and manual signing. It directly affects vehicle owners, insurance companies, and county officials who currently handle paperwork for cars declared total losses. The key change permits an electronic declaration to be filed when registration documents or license plates are missing, eliminating the need for a notary in those specific instances. By streamlining these administrative steps, the law aims to reduce delays and paperwork burdens while maintaining existing rules for rebuilding and reselling salvage vehicles.
This bill directs the state to spend $2,365,000 on new equipment for the Hawaii island branch of the Department of Land and Natural Resources' conservation enforcement division. The funds will purchase one maritime patrol vessel and twenty police-marked vehicles to support officers who will be trained at a new academy launching in 2026. The legislation addresses a shortage of serviceable vehicles and the need for additional marine patrol capabilities in West Hawaii. These resources are scheduled to become available on July 1, 2026.
This bill, known as the Hawaii Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026, directs the Public Utilities Commission to maintain the state's performance-based regulation model for electric utilities rather than reverting to a traditional cost-of-service system. The law reinforces the requirement that utility revenues must be tied to performance metrics such as reliability, renewable energy progress, and customer service, instead of being based on the utility's investment levels or projected costs. By codifying these rules, the legislation ensures that the state continues to prioritize customer savings and efficiency over rewarding utilities for increased capital expenditures. The measure directly affects Hawaii's electric utility companies and the ratepayers who pay their bills, aiming to prevent a return to a regulatory framework that could lead to higher costs for consumers.
