Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s legislative priorities for the 2026 Hawaiʻi State Legislative Session.

Affordable Housing

Strengthen Tenant Protections: Codify into law tenant protection measures, such as: 

  • Notice of Tenants Rights (HB1776/SB2347): Requires the office of consumer protection to publish language accessible notice of tenant rights and require landlords to provide that notice to a tenant; and 

  • Right to Return (HB1777/SB2957): which provides payment to renters who are displaced by new developments or allows for them to return to redeveloped projects. This practice is already used by HHFDC around 201H projects but it is not encoded in HAR or HRS.

Create Locals-Only Housing (HB1732): Using deed restrictions to facilitate the creation of housing reserved for qualified residents at a scale which would create a secondary market tied to local wages. A deed restriction program of the required scale can be done through: the 201H alternative pathway; grant money for ADU construction in exchange for deed restriction; or county deed restriction programs to reserve existing housing stock.

Reform the Conveyance Tax (HB2049/SB2700): Increase the conveyance tax on non owner-occupied housing to raise revenue for both the general fund and a new special fund to finance housing development through the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. This proposal would create a marginal rate structure for residential properties only. The resulting rate structure would actually reduce the tax owed by the average owner occupant while increases the tax owed on second properties and luxury housing.

Maximize TOD Density (HB1739): Create high minimum density requirements to support Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and public transit projects and remove barriers to constructing dense housing in TOD districts.

Reduce Minimum Lot Sizes (HB1734/SB2423): Require counties to reduce and standardize minimum lot sizes. Smaller lot sizes allow for smaller development and better utilization of the State Urban Land Use District.

Food Equity

Expand Free School Meal Access: We continue to look for opportunities to expand free school meals to all students in Hawaiʻi, including charter school students, as well as making Act 139 permanent:

  • Public Charter School Expansions (HB1561/SB2677): Expanding on Act 139 to apply to public charter schools, which would make school meals free for families who make under 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. 

  • Pathway to Universal Free School Meals (HB1779/SB3058):Free school meals for all students in Hawaiʻi, regardless of income level by School Year 2029-2030.

Tax & Budget

Stop Tax Cuts for the Wealthy (HB2306/SB3125): Pausing Act 46’s broad income tax cuts after 2025 would help Hawaiʻi recapture badly-needed revenue to fund housing, healthcare, food security, schools, and care for our keiki and kūpuna. Our long-term goal is to adjust Act 46 so the ultra-wealthy and highest-income households receive less of the benefit, while preserving the boost it provides to working families.

Tax Wealth like Work (HB1850/SB2587): Capital gains are profits from selling assets like stocks, antiques, or real estate, and in Hawaiʻi they are taxed at a maximum rate of 7.25 percent—lower than what many high‑earning residents pay on income from work. This gives the wealthiest people and corporations a loophole to pay lower overall tax rates than working families. By taxing capital gains at a higher rate—or preferably at the same rates as ordinary income—Hawaiʻi would close this loophole, generate much‑needed revenue, and improve tax fairness by making those with more pay more.

Millionaire’s Income Tax (HB2008): A millionaire's tax is a simple, fair solution to make Hawaiʻi more affordable. By asking the wealthiest to contribute a little more, we can properly fund housing, healthcare, food security, schools, and care for our keiki and kūpuna. Fair taxation means those with more pay more. A millionaire's tax is a responsible way to protect working families and strengthen our local economy—not burden it. It could generate tens of millions of dollars each year for affordable housing, better schools, healthcare, kūpuna care, and climate resilience.

Transportation Equity

Keiki Ride Free (HB1879): Establish a year-round, fare-free youth transit program to serve individuals 18 and under across the state. Fare-free transit will help lower household transportation costs, increase youth access to education and recreational activities, and reduce emissions and traffic congestions.

Fund Pedestrian Head Start Upgrades (HB1884/SB2470): Require the installation of leading pedestrian intervals and accessible pedestrian signals at a certain number of state-owned intersections each year, and where signals are installed/replaced. These improvements are low-cost ways to reduce pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries.

Reduce Pedestrian Fines (HB1524): Decrease jaywalking fines as a way to reduce the cycle of debt that results from the fines and fees imposed on pedestrians.

Eliminate/Reduce Parking Mandates: Eliminate or reduce the amount of parking that counties can impose on new development. Outdated parking mandates tie the cost of shelter to the storage of cars, making housing less affordable and limiting choices for residents who rely on walking, biking or transit:

Standardize Police Data Collection (HB1790): Require police enforcement to collect certain socio demographic data for all stops, and provide yearly reports. The goal of this policy is to increase transparency of policing in Hawaiʻi, and to better understand the biases that exist in local policing, particularly traffic enforcement.