HawaiiHawaii counties can use higher pay to staff permit offices
Hawaii mayors can choose a four-year county trial program that gives designated permit workers extra pay and hiring priority through June 2030.
What it does
Counties that choose the trial program must give designated permit jobs at least 15% extra pay and hiring priority. The program runs through June 30, 2030, unless lawmakers extend it.
Participating counties must set aside money for pay, hiring, and awards. Those with fewer than 500,000 residents can use their county surcharge revenue collected with state taxes.
Participating counties must set permit goals and assign a coordinator. Eligible workers receive at least 3% of annual salary for each milestone reached, and agencies must report progress.
Argument forIn participating counties, extra pay could help permit offices attract and keep qualified workers, helping applicants face fewer staffing delays.
Argument againstGiving permit jobs hiring priority could make other county offices wait longer to fill their own vacancies.
More detail
County mayors can choose to run a trial program that gives designated permit jobs extra pay and hiring priority. Mayors can designate any number of jobs involved in reviewing or processing permits, including filled and vacant jobs. Designated jobs receive extra pay of at least 15% of salary. Agencies can pay more if the mayor finds it necessary to recruit or keep workers. New hires can start above the minimum within the approved salary range. Personnel offices must prioritize these jobs and make qualified candidates a conditional offer within 14 days of their county interview. Counties must run the trial under the state's rules for experimental projects to modernize government employment. The law took effect July 1, 2026. The trial covers four fiscal years beginning that day and ends June 30, 2030, unless lawmakers extend it.
Participating counties must set aside money for extra pay, hiring, and performance awards. The duty to set aside money applies to every county that chooses to participate. Participating counties with fewer than 500,000 residents can use their share of county surcharge revenue collected with state taxes to fund the program. That use is allowed even if other state or county laws would otherwise prevent it.
Participating counties must set measurable goals, pay eligible workers for reaching milestones, and assign a coordinator to oversee permit work. Mayors set a countywide goal for improving permit times. Participating agencies set measurable goals, such as shorter reviews or more permits processed. Each participating agency must set four milestones and choose which employees qualify for awards. Reaching each milestone earns eligible workers at least 3% of their annual salary; counties can pay more. The coordinator must help departments resolve delays, connect people involved in permit work, and track milestones accurately. Agencies report quarterly to county councils. Coordinators report to lawmakers at least 20 days before each regular session, including recommendations for adjustments, expansion, and legislation.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 9Act 119, 06/08/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1219).Latest
- Jun 9Act 119, on 06/08/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1219).Became Law
- May 8Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).Minor
- May 8Enrolled to Governor.To Governor
- 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
- May 6Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran voting no (1) and none excused (0).Major
- May 6Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).Minor
- May 1The 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) Wakai, Hashimoto; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.Minor
- Vote recorded The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- May 1The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Sayama, Hussey, Tam, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- May 1Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 191-26).
- May 148 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
- May 1Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 191-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- May 1Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
- Apr 30Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 10:45AM; Conference Room 325.
- Apr 28Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-30-26 10:45AM; Conference Room 325.
- Apr 27Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 762).Minor
- Apr 24Senate Conferees Appointed: Wakai Chair; Hashimoto Co-Chair; Fevella.
- Apr 24Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-28-26 10:45AM; Conference Room 325.
- Apr 20House Conferees Appointed: Ilagan, Sayama, Hussey Co-Chairs; Tam, Gedeon.
- Apr 20Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 787).Minor
- Apr 10Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 518).Minor
- Apr 10Senate disagrees with House amendments.Minor
- Apr 10Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 564).Minor
- Apr 9Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2001-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
- Vote recorded Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 9Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.Passed House
- 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
- Apr 2The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-07-26.Minor
- Apr 2Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 04-07-26 10:10AM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Mar 31Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 04-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Mar 30Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1469-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
- Vote recorded Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 30Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).Minor
- 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
- Mar 20Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1283-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.
- Vote recorded Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on LAB. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 20Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on LAB with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).Minor
- Mar 20Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 03-24-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Mar 18The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 12Pass First ReadingMinor
- Mar 12Referred to ECD, LAB, FIN, referral sheet 17Minor
- Mar 12Bill scheduled to be heard by ECD on Wednesday, 03-18-26 8:30AM in House conference room 423 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Mar 10Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 280) in amended form (SD 1).Minor
- Mar 6Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2971) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
- Mar 6One Day Notice 03-10-26.
- Mar 5The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 4The committee(s) on WAM has rescheduled its decision making to 03-05-26 12:04PM; CR 211 & Videoconference.
- Mar 3The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-05-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
- Feb 11Reported from EIG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2176) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
- Feb 11Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.Minor
- Feb 5The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EIG were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite, Richards, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 2The committee(s) on EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 02-05-26 3:01PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
- Jan 28Referred to EIG, WAM.Minor
- Jan 26Passed First Reading.Minor
- Jan 23Introduced.Introduced
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