Conference committees for the Hawaii Legislature on April 25, 2025, adopted a series of conference drafts, approving appropriations and policy provisions that affect state hiring, internships and retirement program administration.

The most substantive items approved included HB430 HD2 SD2 (internships), which the conferees adopted as a conference draft that includes an appropriation of $1,800,000 targeted to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) for positions tied to the program; the CD references 15 full‑time staff positions for DLIR, requires DLIR to be able to contract with eligible employers or registered apprenticeship programs to provide on‑the‑job training, requires collaboration with the Department of Human Services (as referenced in the transcript: Department of Human Resources Development) for placement of interns in executive branch departments and agencies, and provides that the State shall be responsible to employers for purposes of workers' compensation coverage for students or recent graduates participating in on‑the‑job training subject to certain limitations. The CD sets an effective date of July 1, 2025.

A second substantive measure adopted was Senate Bill 15‑67 SD1 HD1 (classification and compensation review). The CD requires a comprehensive review of the classification and compensation systems for civil service positions under the relevant jurisdiction, to be completed by October 31, 2026, and permits the responsible department to contract with a third party in accordance with procurement code 103D. The conference draft included an explicit budget insertion of $1,750,000 to support the work called for by the bill.

Conference conferees also adopted Senate Bill 8‑55 SD1 HD1 (Hawaii Retirement Savings Act), which the CD clarifies by expanding the definition of covered employer, requires covered employers to automatically enroll covered employees into the Hawaii Retirement Savings Program unless the employee opts out, and removes the statutory limit on total fees and expenses that can be spent for the program each year. The transcript records a budget insertion of $720,000 for fiscal year 2026; discussion included an FY2027 amount in the CD discussion but that FY2027 figure was not clearly specified in the transcript.

In addition to those items, conference committees approved a large group of public employment cost items (multiple HB 10-series bills and related measures) as conference drafts with appropriations consistent with the governor’s message (as stated in the transcript). Where a FIN/WAM release was reported in the transcript, conferees took votes to adopt the CDs.

Votes at a glance (selected adopted measures from the April 25, 2025 conference session):
- HB430 HD2 SD2 (internships): Adopted as CD; appropriation of $1,800,000 for DLIR positions; 15 FTE referenced; effective date 07/01/2025; adopted by conference votes recorded in the transcript.
- SB1567 SD1 HD1 (classification and compensation systems review): Adopted as CD; $1,750,000 inserted for the review; deadline 10/31/2026; procurement authority per procurement code 103D; adopted by conference votes recorded in the transcript.
- SB855 SD1 HD1 (Hawaii Retirement Savings Act): Adopted as CD; auto‑enroll requirement and repeal of a statutory fee limit; $720,000 inserted for FY2026 (FY2027 amount discussed but not specified in the transcript); adopted by conference votes recorded in the transcript.
- Multiple HB10-series public employment cost item bills and related HB10xx measures (examples in the transcript include HB1026 HD1 SD1, HB1027 HD1 SD1, HB1028 HD1 SD1, HB1029 HD1 SD1, HB1030 HD1 SD1, HB1032 HD1 SD1, HB1034 HD1 SD1, HB1035 HD1 SD1, HB1036, HB1037, HB1038, HB1039): Adopted as CDs where the transcript records FINWAM release; appropriations were described as reflected in the governor’s message; votes recorded in the transcript adopted the conference drafts.

Several measures listed on the agenda were rolled over for additional conference work or to await FIN/WAM release; the transcript records multiple rollovers to 2:30 p.m. in Conference Room 16 for later sessions.

Discussion versus decision
- Discussion: Several items were noted as not yet having FIN/WAM release or full agreement and were specifically rolled over for later consideration (the transcript records repeated rollovers to 2:30 p.m.). For HB423 and related workers' compensation conference items, the transcript records that a CD was in circulation but conferees were not in agreement and the item was not adopted at that time.
- Direction/assignment: For the classification and compensation review (SB1567), conferees inserted funding and required a report; the CD permits contracting under procurement code 103D to facilitate timely completion of the review.
- Formal action: Where the transcript records a FINWAM release and a vote, conferees adopted the conference drafts (CDs); votes were recorded as “aye” by conferees on the record for the measures listed above.

What matters: The measures adopted affect state workforce administration (classification and compensation review), internship and workforce development pathways for students and recent graduates (HB430), and the structure and administration of the statewide retirement savings program (SB855). The appropriations inserted in the CDs create near‑term budget commitments and establish deadlines and procurement authority that will guide implementation.

Next steps: Several items were scheduled to be reconvened at 2:30 p.m. in Conference Room 16 for final agreement or for FIN/WAM release. Implementation steps referenced in the CDs—hiring of positions, contracting for reviews, and program setup—will proceed according to the effective dates and reporting deadlines included in the conference drafts adopted on April 25.