Labor & Employment

in committee · Hawaii · House Jan 26, 2026

HB 1599: RELATING TO TRANSFER OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

Requires the State, Legislature, and counties to amend rules and policies to ensure that certain employees can transfer accrued vacation and sick leaves if rehired by the State or a county within one calendar year of separation. Extends the allowable break in service for purposes of determining certain state and county contributions to the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund from ninety calendar days to one full year.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates transfer of accrued sick/vacation leave upon rehiring within 1 year and extends break-in-service period for benefits continuity, directly protecting worker benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Paid Leave

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passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 1939: RELATING TO TAXATION.

Amends the Motion Picture, Digital Media, and Film Production Income Tax Credit (film tax credit) by providing additional credits to qualified productions that have a workforce of at least eighty per cent local hires in the first taxable year or second consecutive taxable year and meet other specific requirements, then increasing the local workforce threshold to eighty-two per cent in the third or fourth consecutive taxable year and eighty-five per cent in the fifth consecutive taxable year, that the additional credit is claimed; requiring independent third-party certification of qualified production costs for all film productions claiming the film tax credit; authorizing DBEDT to waive the credit cap per qualified production for one qualified production each fiscal year; and requiring the Hawaii Film Office to submit an annual report to the Legislature. Sunsets 1/1/2033. Effective 7/1/3050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands tax credits for film productions meeting local hiring criteria, increasing state fiscal support for economic development through targeted tax incentives.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncentivizes local hiring (80%+ workforce) for film productions via tax credits, directly promoting employment standards and local workforce opportunities.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits Professional Licensing

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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

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Public Employees

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in committee · Hawaii · House Jan 28, 2026

HB 2042: RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

Requires an audit for a self-insured employer or an insurance carrier that defaults in workers' compensation payments to identify other instances of unpaid compensation claims.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires audits for unpaid workers' comp claims, ensuring accountability and protecting workers' right to compensation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SB 3135: RELATING TO STATE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

Authorizes the Department of Health to establish a vacation payout pilot project 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. Report required. Sunsets June 30, 2029.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands state employee benefits by allowing vacation payout for home down payment assistance, directly enhancing employment benefits under Labor & Employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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in committee · Hawaii · Senate Jan 28, 2026

SB 2393: RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

Requires an employer to file a response, either accepting or objecting to a treatment plan, within seven days of receipt. Imposes a monetary penalty if an employer does not file a response within the seven-day period. Clarifies that a treatment plan is deemed accepted if an employer fails to file certain documents within the seven-day period.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires employers to timely respond to treatment plans with penalties for delay, protecting injured workers' access to care under workers' compensation.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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signed · Hawaii · Senate Jun 26, 2026

SB 3238: RELATING TO LANGUAGE ACCESS.

SB 3238 establishes a language access education and workforce development program at the University of Hawaii to train professionals in providing language services. It appropriates state funds to support this program, which directly affects communities with limited English proficiency and government agencies needing interpreters or translators. The key mechanism is creating a dedicated training initiative at UH to build a skilled workforce for language access services. This bill focuses on concrete policy changes by funding workforce development rather than altering existing services or regulations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates state funds for UH language access workforce training program, directly funding higher education workforce development to improve educational access for limited English proficiency communities.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationFunds language access training for limited English proficiency communities, enhancing immigrant access to services and integration.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds workforce development program training language access professionals, directly supporting employment standards in language services sector.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Immigrant Services Workforce Development

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Jan 28, 2026

SB 2664: RELATING TO THE CONSTRUCTION WORKER COVID-19 HAZARD PAY PROGRAM.

Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish and administer the Construction Worker COVID-19 Hazard Pay Program. Appropriates funds to pay eligible construction workers a one-time payment in recognition for essential labor performed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sunsets 6/30/2031.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates funds for hazard pay program, directly funding essential public service under budget management with explicit fiscal allocation.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides one-time hazard pay to essential construction workers during pandemic, directly funding worker compensation for hazardous conditions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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signed · Hawaii · Senate Jun 4, 2026

SB 3215: RELATING TO HARBOR SAFETY.

Repeals the sunset provisions of Act 236, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024, thereby making permanent the requirement that the Department of Transportation ensure that the securing of mooring lines from vessels to commercial docks, wharves, piers, quays, and landings be performed by labor subject to collective bargaining. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRepeals sunset provision to permanently require mooring work by labor under collective bargaining, directly protecting workers' rights and strengthening labor representation.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationPermanently maintains DOT harbor safety requirement for mooring lines, enhancing transportation safety standards within infrastructure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Ports

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 638: RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.

SB 638 requires most employers to provide employees with paid breaks during work shifts. It directly affects all covered employers and their employees in the state, mandating specific break periods as part of employment practices. The key provision is a straightforward requirement for employers to schedule and compensate these breaks, though the exact duration or frequency isn't detailed in the abstract. The bill is currently pending in committee review and has not yet become law.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates paid breaks, expanding worker benefits and strengthening employment practices per bill's core requirement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Paid Leave

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