Labor & Employment

signed · Hawaii · House May 28, 2026

HB 2315: RELATING TO STATE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

Authorizes the Department of Health to establish a vacation payout pilot program in which eligible Department of Health employees may defer unused vacation leave credits in favor of a pay out to provide home purchase down payment assistance. Requires reports to the Legislature. Sunsets 6/30/2029. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands state employee benefits by allowing vacation payout for home down payment assistance, enhancing compensation options beyond standard leave policies.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Hawaii · House May 27, 2026

HB 1514: RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

Clarifies the process for selecting a certified provider of vocational rehabilitation services. Requires certified providers to automatically approve vocational rehabilitation services for an injured employee if those services will likely be required for suitable gainful employment and the initial evaluation report finds the injured employee feasible to participate. Requires providers to file an employee's vocational rehabilitation plan no later than one hundred twenty days after submitting an initial evaluation report, unless extended by the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations. Clarifies the process for an employer to object to a vocational rehabilitation plan. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires automatic approval of vocational rehab services for suitable employment, reducing delays in workers' compensation recovery process.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Hawaii · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 3144: RELATING TO THE HAWAII OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH LAW.

Repeals the requirement that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations regulate hoisting machines and certify their operators and the Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board, including its rules requiring a separate state crane operator certificate. Allows additional time for the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations to complete an investigation of a discharge or discrimination complaint pertaining to employees exercising rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Law without formal extension. (HD2)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves certification barrier for crane operators and extends investigation time for OSHA complaint investigations, strengthening worker protection under safety law.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Hawaii · House May 26, 2026

HB 2272: MAKING EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COST ITEMS.

Makes emergency appropriations for collective bargaining cost items for the members of bargaining unit (11) and their excluded counterparts, including health premium payments and the cost of salary adjustments negotiated between the State and the bargaining unit representative for fiscal biennium 2025-2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds emergency salary adjustments for public employees via appropriations, directly supporting budget allocation for essential workforce costs.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds collective bargaining costs and salary adjustments for public employees' bargaining unit, directly supporting labor negotiations and rights under Public Employment Cost Items.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Hawaii · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 2140: RELATING TO COUNTY LABOR STANDARDS.

Authorizes counties to require contractors to disclose employee wage, benefit, hour, and employment‑status information. Authorizes counties to deny, revoke, or suspend building permits for violations of related laws under certain conditions. Establishes a process by which an owner or developer may replace a noncompliant contractor and transfer the building permit to the replacement contractor. Exempts from the denial, revocation, and suspension, building permit applications submitted by an owner-occupant for work performed on the owner-occupant's residence. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires contractor wage/benefit disclosure and permit penalties for violations, advancing worker transparency and enforcement under labor standards.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Hawaii · House May 26, 2026

HB 2271: MAKING EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT COST ITEMS.

Makes emergency appropriations for collective bargaining cost items for the members of bargaining units (1) and (10) and their excluded counterparts to resolve issues related to temporary hazard pay for fiscal year 2025-2026. Authorizes the use of the general fund appropriations to restore the temporary reclassifications for temporary hazard pay payouts to the appropriate departments to provide for the repayment of the general fund loan. Specifies that emergency appropriations made under Act 29, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025, do not lapse until June 30, 2027. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates emergency funds for public employee hazard pay and bargaining costs, increasing state budget allocation for public employment.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds collective bargaining costs and temporary hazard pay for public employees, directly advancing worker benefits and rights through emergency appropriations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Hawaii · Senate May 19, 2026

SB 3082: RELATING TO MILITARY FAMILIES.

SB 3082 authorizes eligible employees in the state to take family leave for qualifying military exigencies under existing state law. It directly affects employees whose spouses, children, or parents are on active military duty, allowing them to take time off for specific military-related situations like deployment-related events. The bill expands the state's family leave framework to include these military-specific circumstances without creating new leave categories. The legislation is currently in its early stages, having been introduced on January 26, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands family leave benefits for military-related exigencies, protecting workers' rights under employment standards by enabling time off for deployment-related events without new leave categories.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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 ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill addresses school bus driver shortages affecting student transportation access, particularly in rural areas, strengthening educational access and logistics.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill seeks to improve workforce pipeline and address driver shortages, supporting employment standards and workforce development for school bus drivers.75% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill seeks to improve school bus driver training and licensing, addressing workforce shortages that disrupt student transportation.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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signed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SCR 139: REQUESTING THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TO RECOMMEND TO THE GOVERNOR, FOR INCLUSION IN THE STATE UNIFIED PLAN, A COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE WORKFORCE STRATEGY TO ENSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE OF THE STATE HAVE A PATHWAY TO A CAREER THAT ENABLES THEM TO LEARN, WORK, AND THRIVE IN THE STATE AND CONTRIBUTE TO A VIBRANT LOCAL ECONOMY GROUNDED IN COMMUNITY VALUES BY 2045.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Workforce Development Council to create a long-term statewide workforce strategy by 2045 to help all residents find careers that allow them to live and work in Hawaii. The bill directs the Council to recommend this plan to the Governor for inclusion in the State Unified Plan, aiming to address concerns about high living costs, limited job opportunities, and the risk of young people leaving the state. Key provisions include establishing a unified framework for state and county efforts, incorporating work-based learning and youth internship programs, and setting specific metrics to track progress in job quality and economic resilience. The strategy is intended to align various government agencies, nonprofits, and labor organizations around shared goals to improve career pathways and local economic stability.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill seeks to create a comprehensive workforce strategy to ensure all residents have career pathways, addressing job opportunities and retention concerns in Hawaii.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

passed both · Hawaii · House May 8, 2026

HCR 105: REQUESTING THE CENTER FOR NURSING TO COMPILE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF RECOMMENDED SAFE PATIENT STAFFING STRATEGIES AND RATIOS FOR ALL NURSING SPECIALTIES AND SUBSPECIALTIES ACROSS ALL HEALTH CARE SETTINGS, AND TO MAINTAIN A REPOSITORY FOR THIS INFORMATION.

This bill requests the Hawaii State Center for Nursing to compile and maintain a public list of recommended safe patient staffing ratios for all nursing specialties across various healthcare settings. The measure aims to address concerns about nurse workload and patient safety by gathering existing standards from other states and industry recommendations rather than setting new legal requirements. Healthcare facilities are urged to consider these compiled ratios when determining staffing levels, and the information will be made publicly available before the 2027 legislative session. The resolution focuses on creating a centralized resource to inform decision-making by providers, policymakers, and the public about staffing standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill promotes patient safety by establishing recommended nursing staffing ratios, which improves healthcare quality and protects patient rights.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill promotes nurse staffing safety standards, protecting worker well-being and patient care through recommended ratios rather than restrictive mandates.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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