Hawaii Bills

passed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SR 27: REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, IN COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, TO EVALUATE AND RECOMMEND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LICENSING, TRAINING, AND WORKFORCE PIPELINE FOR SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS IN THE STATE.

This Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Transportation, working with the Department of Education, to evaluate and recommend improvements to the licensing, training, and recruitment process for school bus drivers. The bill aims to address driver shortages that cause route cancellations and transportation disruptions, particularly affecting students in rural and neighbor island communities. The evaluation will examine barriers such as testing availability, interagency coordination, and workforce pipeline issues, with a deadline to submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

passed both · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SCR 31: REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, IN COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, TO EVALUATE AND RECOMMEND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LICENSING, TRAINING, AND WORKFORCE PIPELINE FOR SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS IN THE STATE.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Department of Transportation to work with the Department of Education to study how to improve the process for hiring and training school bus drivers in Hawaii. The bill addresses ongoing shortages of qualified drivers that have led to canceled routes and disrupted transportation for students, particularly in rural and neighbor island communities. The requested evaluation will examine barriers to commercial driver's licensing, coordination between agencies and private contractors, and strategies to expand testing and training access. The departments must consult with various stakeholders and submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature by the start of the 2027 regular session.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

passed both · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SCR 56: RECOGNIZING OPEN WATER LIFEGUARDS AS FIRST RESPONDERS IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THEIR ESSENTIAL ROLE IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution formally recognizes open water lifeguards across Hawaii as first responders, acknowledging their critical role in emergency response, public safety, and community wellbeing. The bill highlights that these lifeguards are often among the first to arrive at emergency scenes, perform life-saving medical interventions, and operate in hazardous ocean and shoreline environments similar to police and firefighters. While the resolution does not change laws or grant new legal rights directly, it urges state and county agencies to ensure lifeguards receive the same resources, training support, and professional respect as other first responders. The measure applies to all open water lifeguards in the state, including those designated as ocean safety or water safety officers in different counties.

passed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SR 137: REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO EVALUATE WHETHER THE STATE SHOULD IMPLEMENT A DEMERIT POINT SYSTEM FOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.

This Senate Resolution asks the Hawaii Department of Transportation to create a task force to study whether the state should adopt a demerit point system for traffic violations. The proposed task force would include transportation officials from the state and all five counties, along with police chiefs from each county. The group is tasked with evaluating the potential benefits and drawbacks of such a system and reporting their findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2028. If the task force recommends moving forward, it would propose new legislation to implement the system. This resolution does not change any laws immediately but initiates a formal review process to determine if Hawaii should follow the model used by other states.

passed both · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SCR 177: REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES TO CONVENE A COOPERATIVE WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS STATE PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE COUNTY PERMITTING.

This bill requests the Department of Accounting and General Services to create a working group to study and improve how state projects get county building permits. The group will include representatives from various state agencies and county officials to research delays and suggest ways to streamline the process. Members must submit their findings and recommendations to the Legislature by 2028, which could lead to new laws if needed. This resolution does not change any laws immediately but sets up a study to address permit delays affecting state projects.

passed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SR 157: REQUESTING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO MAKE CERTAIN JUDGMENTS, CONSIDERATIONS, AND DECISIONS WHEN MAKING ANY DETERMINATION RELATING TO A GENERATIONAL ENERGY COMMITMENT FOR THE STATE.

This Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to impose specific conditions before approving any costs related to liquefied natural gas infrastructure and operations. The bill directly affects utility companies and ratepayers by requiring that all LNG costs be fully amortized by 2045, eliminating take-or-pay fuel commitments, and ensuring no increased costs for customers in Hawaii, Kauai, or Maui counties. Key provisions also mandate that utilities share fuel price volatility risks with customers and that LNG approvals be denied if cheaper renewable alternatives exist. Additionally, the resolution asks the commission to consider how LNG investments might impact renewable energy development and the risk of stranded assets.

Topics ✓ Energy

signed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SCR 166: REQUESTING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO MAKE CERTAIN JUDGMENTS, CONSIDERATIONS, AND DECISIONS WHEN MAKING ANY DETERMINATION RELATING TO A GENERATIONAL ENERGY COMMITMENT FOR THE STATE.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to impose specific conditions before approving any liquefied natural gas-related costs for utilities. The bill requires that all LNG infrastructure costs be fully paid off by 2045, eliminates take-or-pay fuel contracts, prevents rate increases for Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui counties, and mandates utilities share fuel price volatility with customers. Additionally, the resolution asks the commission to deny LNG costs if cheaper renewable alternatives exist or if the agreement would lock utilities into purchasing more gas than needed for renewable energy operations. This measure directly affects Hawaiian Electric and other utilities by setting stricter financial and environmental criteria for approving natural gas projects.

Topics ✗ Energy

signed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SCR 50: ESTABLISHING THE HAWAII HEALTH PLAN WORKING GROUP TO DESIGN AND RECOMMEND A BASIC, AFFORDABLE HAWAII HEALTH PLAN AVAILABLE TO EVERY RESIDENT OF THE STATE.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution establishes the Hawaii Health Plan Working Group to design and recommend a basic, affordable health plan available to every resident of the state. The working group will include representatives from the legislature, governor's office, insurance commissioner, state health planning agency, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and Kaiser Permanente. The group is tasked with developing a plan to address potential increases in uninsured residents due to changes in federal health insurance subsidies and Medicaid work requirements, with a report due to the Legislature by late 2026. The working group will cease to exist on June 30, 2027, after submitting its final recommendations and any proposed legislation.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SR 111: URGING THE INSURANCE DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO IDENTIFY FEASIBLE OPTIONS AND MECHANISMS TO PROTECT THE STATE AND ITS RESIDENTS AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE AVAILABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF INSURANCE.

This Senate Resolution urges Hawaii state agencies to form a working group aimed at addressing how climate change is affecting insurance availability and costs for residents. The proposed group would include officials from the Insurance Division, Attorney General, and various legislative committees to study insurance risks from extreme weather events. Key tasks include evaluating current recovery options and exploring legal strategies to seek financial compensation from fossil fuel companies, which the resolution identifies as responsible for climate-related damages. The measure focuses on protecting state resources and ensuring affordable insurance coverage without mandating specific policy changes or taking a stance on liability.

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SCR 178: URGING ALL STATE AND COUNTY AGENCIES INVOLVED IN CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT TO IMPLEMENT PROMPT PAYMENT TRANSPARENCY MEASURES AND EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES FOR ITS EFFORTS.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution urges all state and county agencies in Hawaii that handle construction projects to create public websites showing payment information for contractors and subcontractors. The bill asks these agencies to display details about job progress, payments made, and retained funds within one year of the resolution's adoption. It specifically thanks the Public Works Division for its existing transparency efforts and requests agencies unable to comply explain their barriers to the Legislature. While the resolution does not mandate immediate legal changes, it sets a timeline for agencies to report on their progress and consider future legislation to improve payment transparency in public construction.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SR 172: REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES TO CONVENE A COOPERATIVE WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS STATE PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE COUNTY PERMITTING.

This Senate Resolution requests the Department of Accounting and General Services to form a working group to study delays in state building permit approvals from county departments. The bill directly affects state agencies and county permitting offices by establishing a collaborative group to investigate why state projects face long approval times. The working group will include representatives from various state departments and county officials to explore ways to streamline permitting processes specifically for state projects. Members must submit their findings and recommendations to the Legislature by 2028, potentially including proposed legislation to address the identified issues.

passed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SR 77: REQUESTING ALL STATE AGENCIES TO UTILIZE BI-LEVEL LIGHTING SYSTEMS IN ALL STATE BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES, THE DESIGN OF WHICH IS FINALIZED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2028.

This Senate Resolution asks state agencies to use bi-level lighting systems in all new state buildings starting January 1, 2027. Bi-level lighting adjusts brightness based on motion detection to reduce energy waste from lights staying on at full intensity. The resolution directs copies to various state officials and agencies responsible for construction and facility management. This measure aims to promote energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact through a specific building design requirement.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill results