Labor & Employment

passed both · Hawaii · Senate May 1, 2026

SB 2706: RELATING TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

Establishes a five-year Agriculture and Biosecurity Workforce Development Pilot Program within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii's Leeward Community College and the Department of Human Resources Development. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 6/30/2031. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes workforce development pilot program to train agricultural/biosecurity workers, enhancing job readiness and employment opportunities through education partnerships.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · House Apr 21, 2026

HB 2005: RELATING TO LANGUAGE ACCESS.

HB 2005 establishes a statewide language access education and workforce development program at the University of Hawaii, funded through state appropriations. The program aims to train workers in language access services, directly impacting the University of Hawaii system and future state workforce development efforts. It requires the university to develop training curricula and implement the program, with funding allocated for this purpose. The bill is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 3000 (a date likely reflecting a typo in the official record).

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds language access program at University of Hawaii, directly supporting higher education workforce development and educational access through state appropriations.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds workforce development program training workers in language access services, advancing employment standards through skill-building and state-funded workforce preparation.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · Senate Apr 17, 2026

SCR 147: REQUESTING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING TO INCREASE COMPENSATION FOR ADULT CORRECTIONS OFFICERS EMPLOYED BY THE STATE OF HAWAII'S DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the federal government to provide additional funding to help Hawaii increase pay for adult corrections officers in the state's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The bill addresses ongoing staffing shortages and high turnover by requesting federal financial support for competitive compensation, including base pay adjustments and retention incentives. It does not directly change state laws or budgets but serves as a formal request to federal officials to assist with workforce stabilization. The resolution aims to reduce vacancies and improve safety conditions without placing the full financial burden on state taxpayers.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill seeks federal funding to improve compensation for corrections officers, addressing staffing shortages and retention issues critical to effective criminal justice operations.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill seeks federal funding to increase compensation for corrections officers, addressing staffing shortages and improving worker wages and retention.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · Senate Apr 2, 2026

SB 828: RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION MEDICAL BENEFITS.

Expands workers' compensation medical benefits for firefighters to include coverage for adenocarcinoma or mesothelioma of the respiratory system; cancer of the buccal cavity, colon, pharynx, and thyroid; and malignant melanoma. Specifies that an employer may prove that the cancer or disease was not associated with the firefighting duties to deny medical benefits under workers' compensation law. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands workers' comp medical coverage for firefighters' cancer treatments, directly increasing healthcare access for a specific high-risk group.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands workers' comp medical benefits for firefighters to cover specific job-related cancers, directly advancing worker health protections under Labor & Employment.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 2391: RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Provides annual salary step increases for public schools and public charter school teachers who have completed one year's satisfactory service and comply with specified requirements, if negotiated into a collective bargaining agreement pursuant to section 89-9, HRS, and subject to funds appropriated by the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides annual salary increases for public school teachers under collective bargaining, directly supporting educator compensation and retention in K-12 education.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides annual salary increases for teachers via collective bargaining, directly advancing wages and labor rights under Labor & Employment policies.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 3110: RELATING TO THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD.

Clarifies that employees of the Hawaii National Guard youth and adult educational programs are excluded from collective bargaining. Renames the "Hawaii National Guard Youth Challenge Program" to the "Hawaii National Guard Civil-Military Program" and codifies its Hawaiian name, "Na Kula Alakaʻi". Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExcludes National Guard program employees from collective bargaining, restricting workers' organizing rights and weakening labor protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · Senate Mar 30, 2026

SB 2593: RELATING TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS BOARD.

SB 2593 exempts certain positions on the Law Enforcement Standards Board from state civil service rules and collective bargaining agreements. This change directly affects employees in those specific roles by removing standard hiring, promotion, and union negotiation requirements. The bill alters how these positions are governed under state employment regulations. It does not affect other Board functions or staff outside the exempted roles.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExempts certain positions from collective bargaining, directly limiting workers' right to negotiate via unions per bill summary.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 2159: RELATING TO HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

HB 2159 funds health care workforce development programs at the University of Hawaii. It appropriates state funds to establish new positions within the university focused on training and supporting health care workers. This bill directly affects the University of Hawaii's ability to expand its health care workforce initiatives. The key provision is the allocation of dedicated funding to create these new roles, aiming to strengthen Hawaii's health care workforce pipeline.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds health care workforce development at UH, creating training positions to strengthen Hawaii's healthcare pipeline through dedicated state appropriations.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds health care workforce training programs, strengthening Hawaii's employment pipeline and supporting worker development within health care sector.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Mar 20, 2026

SB 3179: RELATING TO THE SAFETY OF EDUCATIONAL WORKERS.

Requires the Department of Education and public charter schools to take certain steps regarding incidents of harassment and implement procedures for handling harassment of educational workers. (SD1)

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates harassment reporting and safety procedures for educational workers, directly protecting staff in schools.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates harassment reporting and safety procedures for educational workers, directly strengthening workplace safety protections under Labor & Employment.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SB 2382: RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Establishes the Kupaa Retention Bonus Program to be administered by the Department of Law Enforcement to provide $15,000 retention bonuses to eligible sworn law enforcement officers that have worked a minimum of two thousand hours during the preceding fiscal year, subject to collective bargaining negotiations. Requires the Department of Law Enforcement to report to the Legislature on the effectiveness of the Kupaa Retention Bonus Program. Appropriates funds for the Kupaa Retention Bonus Program. Sunsets 6/30/2028. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $15,000 retention bonuses for law enforcement, directly funding staffing needs through state budget authority per bill's appropriation language.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds $15k retention bonuses for law enforcement officers to address staffing shortages, strengthening frontline operations within criminal justice system.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds $15k retention bonuses for law enforcement officers, supporting compensation and subject to collective bargaining negotiations.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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