SB 99HawaiiProcess complete

Eligible public retirees can keep benefits while filling school officer jobs

Public retirees who meet hiring conditions can keep benefits in hard-to-fill school officer jobs after 12 calendar months without state or county employment.

What it does

Eligible public retirees can keep benefits while serving as school resource officers at public schools. They must meet shortage rules and take a 12-month break from state or county work.

Covered jobs must pass a vacancy test: their job group averaged at least 50% vacancies in the prior year, or the job stayed vacant during continuous recruitment for at least 12 months.

State and county human resources leaders must tell lawmakers each year how many retirees work under the covered employment exceptions, including school resource officers, and which jobs they hold.

Argument forKeeping retirement benefits could encourage eligible retirees to take hard-to-fill school officer jobs, helping public schools fill those vacancies.

Argument againstThe 50% vacancy threshold or yearlong recruitment requirement could prevent employers from using this option for smaller but still difficult staffing shortages.

More detail

Eligible public retirees can work as school resource officers without rejoining the Employees' Retirement System or losing benefits. The Department of Law Enforcement or another law enforcement agency must identify the job as hard to fill. The retiree must serve at a public school. Retirees must have no state or county employment during the 12 calendar months before returning. The state or county must not have agreed to their return before retirement. The law enforcement employer must make required pension payments to help cover the retirement system's unfunded obligations. The officer job must meet one of the vacancy tests for school resource officers. These provisions took effect on July 1, 2026.

Public employers must use one of three vacancy tests to identify jobs covered by these retirement rules. The tests cover hard-to-fill public jobs, covered teaching, school leadership, and teacher mentoring jobs, and school resource officer jobs. Officer vacancy rates count school resource officer positions. A job group, overall or within a geographic area, must average at least 50% vacancies during the preceding calendar year. Alternatively, an individual job must remain vacant during continuous active recruitment for at least 12 calendar months. The vacancy rate divides actively recruited vacancies by filled jobs plus those vacancies. A job counts as vacant when unfilled for most workdays in a month. These tests took effect on July 1, 2026.

State and county human resources leaders must report how many covered retirees they employ and which jobs those retirees hold. Reports cover retirees employed under the exceptions for hard-to-fill public jobs, covered education jobs, and school resource officer jobs. The requirement took effect on July 1, 2026. Reports are due no later than 20 days before each regular legislative session begins.

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Where it stands

IntroducedJan 8, 2025
Passed SenateFeb 24, 2026
Passed HouseApr 14
To GovernorMay 8
Became LawJun 9

Looking ahead

No hearings or votes scheduled.

History

2026
1. Jun 9Act 113, 06/08/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1213).Latest
2. Jun 9Act 113, on 06/08/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1213).Became Law
3. May 8Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).Minor
4. May 8Enrolled to Governor.To Governor
5. May 6Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.Major
  - Vote recorded Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1. Result: pass.Lower
6. May 6Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).Major
7. May 6Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).Minor
8. May 1Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 97-26).
9. May 148 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
10. May 1Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 97-26) as amended in (CD 1).
11. May 1Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
12. Apr 28The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lamosao.Minor
  - Vote recorded The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
  - Vote recorded The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
13. Apr 28The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
14. Apr 27Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Tuesday 04-28-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
15. Apr 24Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Monday 04-27-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
16. Apr 23Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-24-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
17. Apr 22Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Thursday, 04-23-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
18. Apr 20House Conferees Appointed: Sayama, Lee, M. Co-Chairs; Reyes Oda.
19. Apr 20Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 787).Minor
20. Apr 20Senate Conferees Appointed: Elefante Chair; Moriwaki, Lamosao Co-Chairs.
21. Apr 20Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 714).Minor
22. Apr 16Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 602).Minor
23. Apr 16Senate disagrees with House amendments.Minor
24. Apr 16Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).Minor
25. Apr 14Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.Passed House
  - Vote recorded Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
26. Apr 10Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2058-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
27. Apr 10Deferred one day 04-14-26.Minor
28. Apr 7The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Morikawa.Minor
  - Vote recorded The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. Result: pass.Lower
29. Apr 2The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-07-26.Minor
30. Apr 2Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 04-07-26 10:10AM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
31. Mar 31Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 04-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
32. Mar 30Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1461-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
  - Vote recorded Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN. Result: pass.Lower
33. Mar 30Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).Minor
34. Mar 24The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.Minor
  - Vote recorded The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
35. Mar 20Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 03-24-26 9:30AM in conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
36. Mar 17The committee(s) on LAB recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.Minor
37. Mar 12Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 03-17-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
38. Mar 10Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 15Minor
39. Feb 25Pass First ReadingMinor
40. Feb 24Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Gabbard). Transmitted to House.Passed Senate
  - Vote recorded Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
41. Feb 24Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 6) in amended form (SD 1).Minor
42. Feb 23Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2694) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
43. Feb 23One Day Notice 02-24-26.
44. Feb 19The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 11 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Richards.Minor
  - Vote recorded The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. Result: pass.Upper
45. Feb 13The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-19-26 10:30AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
46. Feb 6Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2116) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
47. Feb 6Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.Minor
48. Jan 30The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao, Ihara, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.Minor
  - Vote recorded The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
49. Jan 27The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 01-30-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2025
1. Dec 8Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.Minor
2. Jan 16Referred to LBT, WAM.Minor
3. Jan 15Introduced and passed First Reading.Minor
4. Jan 8Pending Introduction.Introduced

Government & EthicsEducationPublic Safety

Issue with this bill?

SB 99HawaiiProcess complete

Eligible public retirees can keep benefits while filling school officer jobs

Public retirees who meet hiring conditions can keep benefits in hard-to-fill school officer jobs after 12 calendar months without state or county employment.

What it does

Eligible public retirees can keep benefits while serving as school resource officers at public schools. They must meet shortage rules and take a 12-month break from state or county work.

Covered jobs must pass a vacancy test: their job group averaged at least 50% vacancies in the prior year, or the job stayed vacant during continuous recruitment for at least 12 months.

State and county human resources leaders must tell lawmakers each year how many retirees work under the covered employment exceptions, including school resource officers, and which jobs they hold.

Argument forKeeping retirement benefits could encourage eligible retirees to take hard-to-fill school officer jobs, helping public schools fill those vacancies.

Argument againstThe 50% vacancy threshold or yearlong recruitment requirement could prevent employers from using this option for smaller but still difficult staffing shortages.

More detail

Where do you stand?

Tell your reps

Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.

More on this bill

Where it stands

IntroducedJan 8, 2025
Passed SenateFeb 24, 2026
Passed HouseApr 14
To GovernorMay 8
Became LawJun 9

Looking ahead

No hearings or votes scheduled.

History

2026
1. Jun 9Act 113, 06/08/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1213).Latest
2. Jun 9Act 113, on 06/08/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1213).Became Law
3. May 8Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).Minor
4. May 8Enrolled to Governor.To Governor
5. May 6Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.Major
  - Vote recorded Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1. Result: pass.Lower
6. May 6Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).Major
7. May 6Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).Minor
8. May 1Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 97-26).
9. May 148 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
10. May 1Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 97-26) as amended in (CD 1).
11. May 1Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
12. Apr 28The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lamosao.Minor
  - Vote recorded The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
  - Vote recorded The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
13. Apr 28The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
14. Apr 27Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Tuesday 04-28-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
15. Apr 24Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Monday 04-27-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
16. Apr 23Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-24-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
17. Apr 22Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Thursday, 04-23-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
18. Apr 20House Conferees Appointed: Sayama, Lee, M. Co-Chairs; Reyes Oda.
19. Apr 20Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 787).Minor
20. Apr 20Senate Conferees Appointed: Elefante Chair; Moriwaki, Lamosao Co-Chairs.
21. Apr 20Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 714).Minor
22. Apr 16Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 602).Minor
23. Apr 16Senate disagrees with House amendments.Minor
24. Apr 16Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).Minor
25. Apr 14Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.Passed House
  - Vote recorded Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
26. Apr 10Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2058-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
27. Apr 10Deferred one day 04-14-26.Minor
28. Apr 7The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Morikawa.Minor
  - Vote recorded The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. Result: pass.Lower
29. Apr 2The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-07-26.Minor
30. Apr 2Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 04-07-26 10:10AM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
31. Mar 31Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 04-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
32. Mar 30Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1461-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
  - Vote recorded Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN. Result: pass.Lower
33. Mar 30Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).Minor
34. Mar 24The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.Minor
  - Vote recorded The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
35. Mar 20Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 03-24-26 9:30AM in conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
36. Mar 17The committee(s) on LAB recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.Minor
37. Mar 12Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 03-17-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
38. Mar 10Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 15Minor
39. Feb 25Pass First ReadingMinor
40. Feb 24Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Gabbard). Transmitted to House.Passed Senate
  - Vote recorded Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
41. Feb 24Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 6) in amended form (SD 1).Minor
42. Feb 23Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2694) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
43. Feb 23One Day Notice 02-24-26.
44. Feb 19The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 11 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Richards.Minor
  - Vote recorded The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. Result: pass.Upper
45. Feb 13The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-19-26 10:30AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
46. Feb 6Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2116) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
47. Feb 6Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.Minor
48. Jan 30The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao, Ihara, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.Minor
  - Vote recorded The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
49. Jan 27The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 01-30-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2025
1. Dec 8Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.Minor
2. Jan 16Referred to LBT, WAM.Minor
3. Jan 15Introduced and passed First Reading.Minor
4. Jan 8Pending Introduction.Introduced

Government & EthicsEducationPublic Safety

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What it does

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Tell your reps

More on this bill

Where it stands

Looking ahead

History

What it does

Where do you stand?

Choose your position

Tell your reps

More on this bill

Where it stands

Looking ahead

History