Governor Josh Green vetoed House Bill 1369 on July 3, 2025, objecting to its proposed changes to Hawaii's tax code. The bill aimed to remove specific tax exemptions, including those for sugarcane producers (limiting benefits after 2030), pre-1969 vessels, and stock exchanges. The governor stated these changes would harm sugarcane producers without providing significant financial benefit to the state. The veto message explicitly cited these exemptions as the reason for rejecting the bill.
This is not a bill but a gubernatorial veto notification (GM 1401) regarding House Bill 958. Governor Green vetoed HB 958 on July 3, 2025, objecting to its definition of "high-speed electric device" as "any device with a motor exceeding 750 watts capable of speeds over 28 mph." The veto cites that this definition could inadvertently ban electric motor vehicles (which are legally defined as "vehicles" under Hawaii law), creating confusion about their legality on public roads. The governor stated this would conflict with climate goals and cause unintended regulatory issues.
This bill (SB38, Act 294) amends Hawaii law to allow certain housing projects to bypass local zoning, planning, and construction regulations. It directly affects housing developers and county governments by enabling projects to proceed without adhering to standard local land-use rules, provided they meet specific conditions. Key provisions require projects to comply with health/safety standards, secure county legislative approval within 45 days (deemed approved if not acted on), and obtain land use commission approval for boundary changes. The exemption applies only to projects meeting all conditions, including not imposing stricter income requirements than state standards. The bill was signed into law by Governor Green on July 3, 2025.
GM 1385 is a Governor's message dated July 3, 2025, informing the Hawaii Legislature that Governor Josh Green signed HB703 into law (designated as Act 282). This bill extends the sunset date of the state rent supplement program for kupuna (elderly Hawaiians) from 2026 to 2028. The program provides rent assistance to kupuna on fixed incomes facing housing insecurity due to rising rental costs. The extension ensures continued support for eligible participants without interruption.
This bill appropriates $525,000 for two full-time equivalent positions at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's John A. Burns School of Medicine's Department of Geriatric Medicine. It requires these positions to coordinate dementia training for health care providers across University of Hawaii programs and develop a standardized dementia curriculum. The university must submit annual reports to the legislature starting December 2025, detailing hiring and program accomplishments. The law directly affects University of Hawaii medical training programs and future health care providers serving Hawaii's estimated 31,000 older adults living with dementia.
This bill (HB1482) requires all businesses selling manufactured hemp products in Hawaii to register with the state Department of Health starting January 1, 2026. It mandates a $50 application fee and $50 renewal fee for a certificate of registration, which must be visibly displayed at physical locations and online. The law exempts hemp processors with existing permits under Section 328G-2, topical products, and tinctures (sold only to those 21+). It does not apply to carriers shipping hemp products without selling them directly.
This document (GM 1378) is a notification that Governor Green signed SB850 into law on July 2, 2025. The law requires the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to collect comprehensive data on health disparities affecting adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities in Hawaii. It directly affects this population and the State Council, aiming to address gaps in existing health data that fail to capture their specific needs. The law mandates data collection on social determinants of health (like healthcare access and economic stability) to inform future public health policies and reduce disparities. This is not a new bill but a formal notice of an enacted law.
SB589 requires Hawaii's Public Utilities Commission to establish an installation target for new customer-sited solar and battery storage systems. It mandates the Commission to create utility tariffs supporting this goal and for grid service programs, microgrids, and community solar projects. The law ensures customers receive fair compensation for exported energy and grid services provided by their systems. These provisions aim to accelerate renewable energy adoption while improving grid reliability and resilience.
This document is a Governor's notification (GM 1376) confirming that SB1373 (Act 273) became law on July 2, 2025. SB1373 requires automatic revocation of professional licenses for individuals registered as sex offenders under Hawaii law. It applies to licensed professionals (e.g., doctors, therapists) convicted of offenses requiring sex offender registration, regardless of whether the conviction is appealed. Licensees may request a hearing within 10 days, but the revocation occurs automatically upon registration. The law aims to protect consumers by preventing registered sex offenders from practicing in licensed professions.
This law (Act 277) authorizes Hawaii's Public Utilities Commission to appoint a receiver to take temporary control of an investor-owned electric utility that is failing to provide safe, reliable service, posing an imminent threat to public health, safety, or welfare. The receiver can manage the utility’s assets, operations, and finances to restore service during crises - such as when underfunded infrastructure (e.g., wildfire mitigation) leads to service disruptions - while protecting existing employee contracts and collective bargaining agreements. It specifically expands the Commission’s existing receiver authority (previously limited to water/sewer utilities) to cover electric utilities. The law aims to prevent service failures without permanently replacing the utility, ensuring continuity for customers and workers.
This bill extends Hawaii's energy-efficiency goals, setting a new statewide target of 6,000 gigawatt hours of electricity use reduction by 2045 (up from the existing 2030 goal of 4,300 gigawatt hours). It requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish interim goals for 2025, 2035, and 2040 to ensure steady progress toward these targets. The bill also allows the Commission to adjust standards as needed to maximize cost-effective energy efficiency programs and technologies. Electric utilities and agencies must meet enhanced efficiency requirements to qualify for state programs like the Hawaii green infrastructure loan program.
This bill eliminates the construction cost component of school impact fees and exempts affordable housing, government projects, Hawaiian home lands developments, and single-room dwellings from these fees. It requires the School Facilities Authority to establish rules for fee collection and increases the minimum unit count needed to trigger land dedication requirements. The legislature found that school impact fees have added to housing costs without effectively funding school construction - only $5.3 million was collected over 12 years, with $17.6 million unused - while burdening new developments. The bill aims to reduce housing costs by addressing these fee structures and ensuring better use of collected funds.
