HAWAII STATE LAWS
LAW CONFIRMATION
Law or Bill: Act 96, SLH 2025 (SB 1396)
Official Title: An Act Relating to Transient Accommodations Tax
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Primary Sources:Office of the Governor, State of Hawaii — Signed legislation list (official)
Hawaii Revised Statutes enactment summary (official legislative record)
LAW SUMMARY
What it does: Raises the state transient accommodations tax and applies the tax to cruise ship cabins while docked in Hawaii. Revenue is directed to climate change mitigation and natural resource protection.
Cost to taxpayers or employers:Increases lodging costs paid by visitors; indirect impacts on tourism-related businesses.
Who it affects: Visitors staying in hotels, short-term rentals, and cruise ship passengers; lodging operators.
Who sponsored or initiated it: Introduced in the Hawaii State Legislature; supported by the Governor.
Who opposed it or concerns raised: Tourism industry groups raised concerns about higher visitor costs and competitiveness.
✅ PROS
Creates dedicated funding for environmental protection.
Shifts costs to visitors rather than residents.
Applies similar tax treatment to cruise tourism.
❌ CONS
Raises travel costs to Hawaii.
May reduce tourism demand.
Compliance burden for lodging operators.
THE BALLOT BEACON TAKEAWAY:
Hawaii increased visitor lodging taxes in 2026 to fund environmental programs, raising costs for tourists statewide.
LAW CONFIRMATION
Law or Bill: Act 110, SLH 2025 (SB 752 CD1)
Official Title: An Act Relating to Insurance
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Primary Sources: Hawaii Legislature — Session Laws of Hawaii 2025 (official)
Hawaii News Now summary of enacted laws (confirming effective date)
LAW SUMMARY
What it does: Extends the advance notice period required before an insurer can cancel or refuse to renew certain property insurance policies.
Cost to taxpayers or employers: NOT SPECIFIED IN PUBLIC RECORDS
Who it affects: Homeowners, landlords, property insurers.
Who sponsored or initiated it: Introduced by Hawaii legislators in response to insurance market instability.
Who opposed it or concerns raised: Insurers warned longer notice periods may increase operating risk.
✅ PROS
Gives property owners more time to find replacement insurance.
Improves consumer protection.
Adds predictability in a volatile insurance market.
❌ CONS
May discourage insurers from writing policies in Hawaii.
Could raise premiums long term.
Does not address underlying risk costs.
THE BALLOT BEACON TAKEAWAY:
Hawaii now requires longer notice before property insurance cancellations, giving owners more time but adding insurer obligations.
LAW CONFIRMATION
Law or Bill: Act 203, SLH 2025 (HB 692 CD1)
Official Title: An Act Relating to the Preschool Open Doors Program
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Primary Sources: Hawaii Legislature — Session Laws of Hawaii 2025 (official)
State news summary of laws effective Jan. 1, 2026 (official reporting)
LAW SUMMARY
What it does: Expands income eligibility for the Preschool Open Doors Program, allowing more families to receive childcare and preschool subsidies.
Cost to taxpayers or employers: Increased state spending; exact amount NOT SPECIFIED IN PUBLIC RECORDS
Who it affects: Families with young children, preschool providers, state education agencies.
Who sponsored or initiated it: Introduced by Hawaii lawmakers focused on early education access.
Who opposed it or concerns raised: Concerns raised about long-term program funding sustainability.
✅ PROS
Expands access to early childhood education.
Helps working families afford childcare.
Supports school readiness.
❌ CONS
Increases state budget obligations.
Funding levels not fully specified.
Provider capacity may be limited.
THE BALLOT BEACON TAKEAWAY:
Hawaii expanded preschool subsidy eligibility in 2026 to help more families afford early education.
LAW CONFIRMATION BANNER
LAW 1: ACT 139, SLH 2025 - SB 1300: FREE SCHOOL MEALS EXPANSION
Law / Bill: Senate Bill 1300 — Act 139, SLH 2025
Official Title: Expanding access to free school meals for public school students
Effective: Starting in the 2025-26 school year; eligibility expands in following years. (governor.hawaii.gov; Hawaii DOE) (Hawaii Governor's Office)
ACT 139 — FREE SCHOOL MEALS EXPANSION
What it does: Allows more public school students in Hawaiʻi to receive free meals. Begins with students who qualify under the National School Lunch Program, then expands eligibility to households making up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level in the following school year. (Hawaii Governor's Office)
Cost to taxpayers / state budget: The law appropriates $3.3 million over two years to the Department of Education to support the expansion. (Hawaii Governor's Office)
Who it helps/affects: Students in public schools facing food insecurity. Families under income thresholds. Hawaii DOE (administration).
Who sponsored / initiated it: Hawaiian state legislature; signed by Governor Josh Green. (Hawaii Governor's Office)
Who opposed / concerns raised: Not much publicly noted opposition in the sources I checked. Some may argue budget constraints or implementation logistics.
✅ PROS
Reduces hunger / food insecurity for students.
Helps learning: well-fed students often perform better.
Targets income thresholds progressively.
❌ CONS
Adds budget cost and administrative complexity.
“Free meals” programs need infrastructure, staffing, and oversight.
Possible stigma or logistical barriers (transport, timing, etc.).
THE BALLOT BEACON TAKEAWAY:
Act 139 will make free school meals available to more Hawaii students, expanding to families at up to 300% of the poverty level—helping student nutrition, but costing in budget and operations.
LAW CONFIRMATION BANNER
LAW 2:ACT: 243, SLH 2025 - HV 1483: FIREWORKS CRIMES PENALTIES
Law / Bill: House Bill 1483 — Act 243, SLH 2025
Official Title: Strengthening legislation related to fireworks crimes; increasing penalties for violators. (Hawaii Governor's Office)
Effective: Signed by Governor; goes into effect as provided in the bill (presumably upon signing or specified date). (Hawaii Governor's Office)
ACT 243 — FIREWORKS LAWS / PENALTIES
What it does: Toughens laws around illegal fireworks in Hawaiʻi. Increases criminal penalties for violators, likely gives law enforcement more power to prosecute and penalize misuse. (Hawaii Governor's Office)
Cost to taxpayers / state budget: Moderate enforcement costs: law enforcement, prosecutors, courts. Possibly increased fines are revenue. No large spending program noted.
Who it helps/affects: Residents harmed or endangered by illegal fireworks (noise, fire danger, injuries). Law enforcement & communities wanting safer neighborhoods. Fireworks sellers/users who might face penalties.
Who sponsored / initiated it: Introduced and passed by Hawaii legislature; signed by Governor Josh Green. (Hawaii Governor's Office)
Who opposed / concerns raised: Not much detailed opposition in public sources. Some people may argue enforcement costs, cultural uses of fireworks, or clarity of what counts as “illegal.”
✅ PROS
Improves public safety and reduces risk of injury or fire.
Stronger deterrents for illegal/unlicensed fireworks misuse.
❌ CONS
Enforcement burden on counties / law enforcement.
Might penalize small or cultural celebratory uses if not clearly defined.
Need for public awareness so people understand new stricter rules.
THE BALLOT BEACON TAKEAWAY:
Act 243 ramps up penalties for illegal fireworks in Hawaiʻi—boosting safety, but requiring
LAW CONFIRMATION BANNER
LAW 1: HAWAII SB 825 - ACT 278 (2025) - EVICTION MEDIATION & NOTICE PERIOD CHANGES
Law / Bill: Senate Bill 825, passed as Act 278, SLH 2025, Relating to Eviction Mediation and Termination Notices. (LegiScan)
Effective Date: The extension of the notice period is permanent; many mediation & notification provisions go into effect February 5, 2026. (Capitol Website)
Primary Source(s): Legislative bill text & summary (LegiScan / Hawaii Legislature) (LegiScan)
ACT 278 — CHANGES TO RENTAL TERMINATION & MEDIATION
What it does: Starting Feb. 5, 2026, it changes how landlords can terminate rental agreements. Key points: Extends notice period from 5 business days to 10 calendar days. (LegiScan)
Requires landlords (or their agents) and tenants to engage in mediation if the tenant requests it. (LegiScan)
Delays filing for summary possession (eviction) if mediation is scheduled. (LegiScan)
The 10-day termination notice must include more information (landlord contact, tenant names, rent due, listing to mediation center, etc.). (Hawai'i Association of Realtors® -)
Mediation must take place within 30 days after the mediation center contacts both landlord and tenant. (LegiScan)
The law sunsets are for certain sections (like mediation pilot procedural parts) on February 4, 2028, but the notice period extension (10 calendar days) is permanent. (Capitol Website)
Cost to taxpayers / government & stakeholders: Some appropriation of funds is required for administering the mediation program. (LegiScan) For landlords: longer notice period, delays in eviction processes (if mediation is used) could create cash-flow or property management delays. For tenants: potentially positive—more time and more support. Courts and mediation centers will have workload increases (tracking, scheduling, oversight).
Who it helps / affects: Tenants, especially those facing nonpayment issues, now get more notice and a chance to mediate.
Landlords: more procedural obligations and possible delays in resolving eviction.
Mediation centers and judiciary: additional requirements.
Who opposed it / concerns raised: Not a lot of publicized strong opposition, but likely concerns from landlord groups over delay and cost, uncertainty around mediation outcomes. (Hawai'i Association of Realtors® -)
✅ PROS
Gives tenants more time and a chance to resolve issues (mediation) before eviction.
Notice period extension gives clearer expectations and improves fairness.
Transparency: notice must include more detailed info and connection to the mediation center.
Permanent extension of notice days helps long-term consistency for tenants.
❌ CONS
Landlords face delays and possibly lost rent if mediation takes time.
Increased administrative burdens on courts and mediation infrastructure.
Some tenants may misuse mediation delays.
Transition period before February 2026 might cause confusion.
THE BALLOT BEACON TAKEAWAY:
Act 278 pushes Hawaii toward fairer eviction practices: tenants get more notice (10 days vs 5), a right to mediate, and landlords have new procedural steps. It boosts tenant protections while adding regulatory and timing burdens to landlords and courts.
LAW CONFIRMATION BANNER
LAW 2: HAWAII HB 304 / SB 109 - HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE BINDING VERSION BILL
Law / Bill: HB 304 / SB 109 (2025) — Relating to the Hawaiian Language & State Law (LegiScan)
Effective: Upon approval (signed into law) — though note: its effective date is unusual (see text) — it takes effect July 1, 3000 per current draft, meaning it sets up a future/placeholder effective date or symbolic timeline. (Hawaii State Legislature)
Primary Source(s): Bill text (Hawaii Legislature PDF), legislative tracking pages. (Hawaii State Legislature)
HB 304 / SB 109 — LAW ON HAWAII LANGUAGE AS BINDING VERSION
What it does: Amends Hawaii Revised Statutes § 1-13 (Official Languages) to require that, in cases where a law was originally drafted in Hawaiian and then translated into English, the Hawaiian version shall be held binding in cases of interpretation, provided the law has not been later amended, codified, recodified, or reenacted in English. (Hawaii State Legislature) Maintains that English and Hawaiian remain official languages of the state. (Hawaii State Legislature) Specifies that if there is a radical and irreconcilable difference between Hawaiian and English text, this new rule applies only where the original draft was in Hawaiian. Otherwise, existing rules remain. (Hawaii State Legislature)
Effective & Implementation Notes: Draft text says effective 7/1/3000, which likely means symbolic or extremely long lead time, or delayed until implementation (some parts perhaps immediately symbolic). (Hawaii State Legislature) Companioned with SB 109. Legislatively passed? (Tracking indicates passed in some committees, but I saw news that it failed in some form. Need to check final enactment status.) (Capitol Website)
Cost to taxpayers / state budget: Minimal direct fiscal cost: changes are legal and interpretive — adjusting statutes, legal interpretation, maybe translation review. Some administrative costs where translation issues, court proceedings, or legislative drafting require clarity.
Who it helps / affects: Supporters of the Hawaiian language, cultural advocates: gives legal weight to Hawaiian-drafted laws. Legal system and courts, where interpretation disputes can arise. Possibly affects rights, enforcement in cases originally drafted in Hawaiian.
Who opposed it / concerns raised: Some reports say the bill failed to pass fully or didn’t become law as intended. (The Mānoa Mirror) Concerns about clarity: determining which laws were “originally drafted in Hawaiian,” whether amendments over time affect eligibility. Worry about legal confusion, possible for conflicting versions, and translation accuracy.
✅ PROS
Recognizes & reinforces Hawaiian as a co-official language with legal force when it’s the original text.
Helps preserve cultural and linguistic heritage.
Provides a path for more authentic use of Hawaiian in legal settings, maybe supporting greater inclusion.
❌ CONS
Many laws were originally drafted in English, so its applicability may be limited.
The symbolic effective date (year 3000) suggests it's more symbolic or placeholder.
Potential legal ambiguity or disputes over whether a law counts under this rule.
Translation accuracy and resource limitations could be obstacles.
THE BALLOT BEACON TAKEAWAY:
HB 304 / SB 109 aims to make the Hawaiian version of a law binding when that law was originally drafted in Hawaiian — a major recognition for Hawaiian legal language and culture, though its practical impact depends on many laws meeting the criteria and translation infrastructure keeping up.