Legislative Action

2025 Legislative Session 

When the legislative session starts in January, HGEA combs through the thousands of introduced bills to track those that may impact members. Using our legislative priorities as a guide, we determine lobbying strategy and which bills to support or oppose. We're your voice for labor at the capitol.  

Our Priority Bills

  • Duty to Defend: HB166/SB336
    Requires the state to defend licensed and certified employees from civil actions under certain circumstances. 
  • Exempt Employees: HB161/SB717
    Allows exempt employees to grieve a suspension or discharge.
  • Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund: HB160/SB183
    Allows arbitration to resolve disputes over state and county contributions to the fund.
  • Indebtedness: HB164/SB185
    Requires notice of salary overpayment to be issued within 60 days and amends the deduction limits based on an employee’s gross income.
  • Interest Arbitrator: HB162/SB337
    Expands the pool of qualified interest arbitrators by allowing the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to use the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
  • Travel Reimbursement: HB163/SB341
    Requires the state and county to reimburse employee travel costs within 30 days and pay a percentage of interest on the total owed until they have been fully reimbursed.

Good Bills We Support

  • Employees’ Retirement System: HB813/SB1401
    Reduces the required years of credited service from 10 to five for Tier 2 ERS members to qualify for vested benefits.
  • Government Employee Housing: HB1298/SB1235
    Establishes a government employee housing fund program and leasehold rent-to-own program.
  • Health Insurance: HB815
    Requires that plans established by the EUTF meet or exceed the requirements of the Prepaid Health Care Act.
  • Public Employee Compensation: HB90
    Requires that public officers and employees be paid on a predicted payroll schedule instead of an after-the-fact schedule.
  • Paid Family Leave: SB342
    Provides five days of paid family leave per year for certain state and county employees.
  • Safety for Educational Workers: HB616
    Requires Department of Education and public charter schools to report and address harassment of educational workers.

Bad Bills We Oppose

  • Top Bills Exempting Employees from Civil Service:
  • Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund: HB1368/SB1586
    Amends composition of the EUTF board of directors (loss of two labor seats)
  • Privatization
    • Government Services: HB1292/SB1234
      Opens the door for government agencies to privatize services. 
    • Small Boat Harbor: HB210/SB364
      Establishes program to lease a boat harbor for private development and management. 

Legislative Priorities

Your State Committee on Political Action, chaired by Vice President and Unit 3 Director Jon Gasper, knows that more must be done to recruit and retain government employees. After careful review and deliberation, they recommended the following, which was approved by the Board of Directors as the organization’s 2025 Legislative Priorities:

  • Recruit and retain a strong government workforce
    Address pay equity, attract the next generation of employees, and develop benefits for a 21st century workforce.
  • Ensure funding of vital services for our community
    Actively seek ways to generate additional state and county revenues to preserve government programs, especially in light of the recent income tax cuts. 
  • Protect the right to organize, oppose civil service exemptions, and advance collective bargaining
    Ensure civil service protections under Chapter 76, HRS and expand collective bargaining rights under Chapter 89, HRS.
  • Oppose privatization
    Services provided by government employees should be protected.
  • Protect retirement benefits for current and future retirees
    Promises made to employees upon hire should be kept.

Historical Success

HGEA's history of legislative accomplishments includes: 

  • Five-day work week (1941)
  • Funeral leave (1955)   
  • Unlimited sick leave accumulation (1959)
  • 40-hour work week (1959)
  • Equal pay for equal work (1961)
  • Health Fund dental benefits (1965)
  • Retirement credit for unused sick leave (1975)
  • Staggered work hours (1977)
  • Deferred compensation plan (1981)
  • Fully paid children's dental and group life insurance (1991)
  • Final and binding arbitration for HGEA units (1995)
  • Creation of Unit 14 (2013) and Unit 15 (2021)