Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

Hawaii House Bill HB84 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B. NO. 84 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to the minimum wage. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
2	2
3	3	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B. NO. 84
4	4	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
6	6
7	7	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
8	8
9	9	H.B. NO.
10	10
11	11	84
12	12
13	13	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
14	14
15	15
16	16
17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
18	18
19	19
20	20
21	21
22	22
23	23
24	24
25	25
26	26
27	27
28	28
29	29
30	30
31	31	A BILL FOR AN ACT
32	32
33	33
34	34
35	35
36	36
37	37	relating to the minimum wage.
38	38
39	39
40	40
41	41
42	42
43	43	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
44	44
45	45
46	46
47	47	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that residents and businesses face significant financial challenges due to the rising cost of living in Hawaii. While increases in the minimum wage are intended to provide workers with greater financial stability, such measures may unintentionally exacerbate the economic pressures on small businesses and contribute to inflationary trends. Hawaii's cost of living remains among the highest in the nation, driven by housing expenses, transportation, and the import-dependent nature of the economy. Raising the minimum wage beyond current levels risks escalating these costs further, as businesses may need to increase prices to offset higher labor expenses. This creates a cycle of rising costs that diminishes the intended benefits of wage increases for workers while placing additional financial burdens on families and individuals. The legislature further finds that small businesses, the backbone of Hawaii's economy, face unique challenges in adapting to wage increases. Many operate with slim profit margins and lack the financial flexibility to absorb higher labor costs without reducing staff hours, cutting positions, or closing their doors altogether. In a state heavily reliant on tourism and service-based industries, these impacts could ripple through the broader economy, resulting in reduced job opportunities and increased economic instability. The purpose of this Act is to reduce by $1.00 per hour the planned minimum wage increase that is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2026, and repeal certain minimum wage and tip credit increases after January 1, 2026, which ensures fairness for workers while providing necessary support to sustain small businesses and stabilize Hawaii's economy. By prioritizing economic growth and the welfare of Hawaii's residents, this Act aims to promote a more sustainable path forward. SECTION 2. Section 387-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows: "§387-2 Minimum wages. (a) Except as provided in section 387-9 and this section, every employer shall pay to each employee employed by the employer, wages at the rate of not less than: (1) $6.25 per hour beginning January 1, 2003; (2) $6.75 per hour beginning January 1, 2006; (3) $7.25 per hour beginning January 1, 2007; (4) $7.75 per hour beginning January 1, 2015; (5) $8.50 per hour beginning January 1, 2016; (6) $9.25 per hour beginning January 1, 2017; (7) $10.10 per hour beginning January 1, 2018; (8) $12.00 per hour beginning October 1, 2022; (9) $14.00 per hour beginning January 1, 2024; and (10) [$16.00] $15.00 per hour beginning January 1, 2026[; and (11) $18.00 per hour beginning January 1, 2028]. (b) The hourly wage of a tipped employee may be deemed to be increased on account of tips if the employee is paid no less than: (1) 25 cents; (2) 50 cents per hour beginning January 1, 2015; (3) 75 cents per hour beginning January 1, 2016; (4) $1.00 per hour beginning October 1, 2022; and (5) $1.25 per hour beginning January 1, 2024[; and (6) $1.50 per hour beginning January 1, 2028], below the applicable minimum wage by the employee's employer and [the combined amount the employee receives from the employee's employer and in tips is at least 50 cents more than the applicable minimum wage; provided that beginning January 1, 2015,] the combined amount the employee receives from the employee's employer and in tips is at least $7.00 more than the applicable minimum wage." SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
48	48
49	49	SECTION 1. The legislature finds that residents and businesses face significant financial challenges due to the rising cost of living in Hawaii. While increases in the minimum wage are intended to provide workers with greater financial stability, such measures may unintentionally exacerbate the economic pressures on small businesses and contribute to inflationary trends.
50	50
51	51	Hawaii's cost of living remains among the highest in the nation, driven by housing expenses, transportation, and the import-dependent nature of the economy. Raising the minimum wage beyond current levels risks escalating these costs further, as businesses may need to increase prices to offset higher labor expenses. This creates a cycle of rising costs that diminishes the intended benefits of wage increases for workers while placing additional financial burdens on families and individuals.
52	52
53	53	The legislature further finds that small businesses, the backbone of Hawaii's economy, face unique challenges in adapting to wage increases. Many operate with slim profit margins and lack the financial flexibility to absorb higher labor costs without reducing staff hours, cutting positions, or closing their doors altogether. In a state heavily reliant on tourism and service-based industries, these impacts could ripple through the broader economy, resulting in reduced job opportunities and increased economic instability.
54	54
55	55	The purpose of this Act is to reduce by $1.00 per hour the planned minimum wage increase that is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2026, and repeal certain minimum wage and tip credit increases after January 1, 2026, which ensures fairness for workers while providing necessary support to sustain small businesses and stabilize Hawaii's economy. By prioritizing economic growth and the welfare of Hawaii's residents, this Act aims to promote a more sustainable path forward.
56	56
57	57	SECTION 2. Section 387-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
58	58
59	59	"§387-2 Minimum wages. (a) Except as provided in section 387-9 and this section, every employer shall pay to each employee employed by the employer, wages at the rate of not less than:
60	60
61	61	(1) $6.25 per hour beginning January 1, 2003;
62	62
63	63	(2) $6.75 per hour beginning January 1, 2006;
64	64
65	65	(3) $7.25 per hour beginning January 1, 2007;
66	66
67	67	(4) $7.75 per hour beginning January 1, 2015;
68	68
69	69	(5) $8.50 per hour beginning January 1, 2016;
70	70
71	71	(6) $9.25 per hour beginning January 1, 2017;
72	72
73	73	(7) $10.10 per hour beginning January 1, 2018;
74	74
75	75	(8) $12.00 per hour beginning October 1, 2022;
76	76
77	77	(9) $14.00 per hour beginning January 1, 2024; and
78	78
79	79	(10) [$16.00] $15.00 per hour beginning January 1, 2026[; and
80	80
81	81	(11) $18.00 per hour beginning January 1, 2028].
82	82
83	83	(b) The hourly wage of a tipped employee may be deemed to be increased on account of tips if the employee is paid no less than:
84	84
85	85	(1) 25 cents;
86	86
87	87	(2) 50 cents per hour beginning January 1, 2015;
88	88
89	89	(3) 75 cents per hour beginning January 1, 2016;
90	90
91	91	(4) $1.00 per hour beginning October 1, 2022; and
92	92
93	93	(5) $1.25 per hour beginning January 1, 2024[; and
94	94
95	95	(6) $1.50 per hour beginning January 1, 2028],
96	96
97	97	below the applicable minimum wage by the employee's employer and [the combined amount the employee receives from the employee's employer and in tips is at least 50 cents more than the applicable minimum wage; provided that beginning January 1, 2015,] the combined amount the employee receives from the employee's employer and in tips is at least $7.00 more than the applicable minimum wage."
98	98
99	99	SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
100	100
101	101	SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
102	102
103	103
104	104
105	105	INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
106	106
107	107	INTRODUCED BY:
108	108
109	109	_____________________________
110	110
111	111	Report Title: Minimum Wage; Tip Credit Description: Reduces the minimum wage increase beginning 1/1/2026, to $15.00 per hour and repeals certain minimum wage and tip credit increases after 1/1/2026. The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
112	112
113	113
114	114
115	115
116	116
117	117	Report Title:
118	118
119	119	Minimum Wage; Tip Credit
120	120
121	121
122	122
123	123	Description:
124	124
125	125	Reduces the minimum wage increase beginning 1/1/2026, to $15.00 per hour and repeals certain minimum wage and tip credit increases after 1/1/2026.
126	126
127	127
128	128
129	129
130	130
131	131
132	132
133	133	The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.