Legislative Update

As the 2022 legislative session enters its final weeks, there are several bills that merit close attention.

The Legislature seems poised to increase the state’s minimum wage to $18, with HB 2510 extending the 2026 timeline offered by SB 2018, which passed the Senate by a 24-1 margin but was not heard in the House. HHHRC joins others, including Hawai῾i Appleseed, in supporting an $18 minimum wage by 2026.

HHHRC is also a member of the Hawai῾i Tax Fairness Coalition, which is supporting a measure (HB 1507) to make the state earned income tax credit refundable and permanent and also increase the state’s tax rate on capital gains to match ordinary income tax rates.

Bills to increase access to gender-affirming care (HB 2405) and to prohibit exclusion from a jury on the basis of gender identity or expression (SB 2136) are still alive.

HHHRC is also supporting several bills as part of the Partners in Care O῾ahu coalition to expand housing opportunities for persons from under-resourced communities. This includes measures to prohibit income source discrimination in rental advertisements and other real estate transactions and provide direct incentives for landlords to participate in housing voucher programs. HHHRC is deeply concerned that our state continues to lose federal funding due to unused housing vouchers, as noted earlier this year in a Honolulu Star-Advertiser article.

If you would like to join us in keeping up on matters of public concern, HHHRC’s Policy Committee extends the invitation for you to join our policy email list.