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HB2080 • 2026

RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT OF RETIRANTS.

RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT OF RETIRANTS.

Labor
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action
2026-01-28
Official status
Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 3
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how the four-year limit will be enforced.

Rules for Rehiring Retired Workers

This bill allows retired public employees to be rehired in positions deemed unique and critical, but limits their employment to four years.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the state or counties to hire back retired workers who have special skills needed for important jobs.
  • Limits how long a retired worker can work again after retiring to no more than four years total.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Retired public employees in Hawaii
  • State and county governments of Hawaii

Terms To Know

retirant
A retired person who is allowed to work again for the government.
unfunded actuarial accrued liability
The difference between what a pension fund owes and how much money it actually has.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It does not specify which specific jobs are considered unique or critical.
  • Does not explain how the four-year limit will be enforced.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-28 H

    Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 3

  2. 2026-01-26 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  3. 2026-01-23 H

    Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT OF RETIRANTS.
Hawaii Council of Mayors Package; Retirants; Employment
Authorizes the rehiring of retirants for positions that are unique and critical to operations. Limits the duration of each retirant's reemployment to 4 years.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB2080

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2080

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to employment of retirants
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that reemployment of
retirees for unique and crucial positions will help stabilize county
operations, provide expertise and institutional knowledge, and support
workforce training and succession planning.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to enable the State and counties to temporarily rehire
retired public employees in positions identified as unique and critical to
government operations.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 88-9,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

����
1.
�

By amending subsection (d) to read:

����
"(d)
�
A retirant may be employed without
reenrollment in the system and suffer no loss or interruption of benefits
provided by the system or under chapter 87A if the retirant is employed:

����
(1)
�
As an elective
officer pursuant to section 88-42.6(c) or as a member of the legislature
pursuant to section 88-73(d);

����
(2)
�
As a juror or
precinct official;

����
(3)
�
As a part-time or
temporary employee excluded from membership in the system pursuant to section
88-43, as a session employee excluded from membership in the system pursuant to
section 88-54.2[
[
],[
]
] or as any other employee expressly
excluded by law from membership in the system; provided that:

���������
(A)
�
The retirant was
not employed by the State or a county during the six calendar months prior to
the first day of reemployment; and

���������
(B)
�
No agreement was
entered into between the State or a county and the retirant, prior to the
retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after
retirement;

����
(4)
�
In a position
identified by the appropriate jurisdiction as a labor shortage or
difficult-to-fill position; provided that:

���������
(A)
�
The retirant was
not employed by the State or a county during the twelve calendar months prior
to the first day of reemployment;

���������
(B)
�
No agreement was
entered into between the State or a county and the retirant, prior to the
retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after
retirement; and

���������
(C)
�
Each employer
shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund the required percentage of
the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the system's unfunded actuarial
accrued liability; [
or
]

����
(5)
�
As a teacher or an
administrator in a teacher shortage area identified by the department of
education or in a charter school or as a mentor for new classroom teachers;
provided that:

���������
(A)
�
The retirant was
not employed by the State or a county during the twelve calendar months prior
to the first day of reemployment;

���������
(B)
�
No agreement was
entered into between the State or a county and the retirant prior to the
retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant after
retirement; and

���������
(C)
�
The department of
education or charter school shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund
the required percentage of the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the
system's unfunded actuarial accrued liability[
.
]
; or

����
(6)
�
In a position
identified by the appropriate jurisdiction as unique and critical to
operations; provided that:

���������
(A)
�
The
retirant was not employed by the State or a county during the twelve calendar
months prior to the first day of reemployment;

���������
(B)
�
No
agreement was entered into between the State or a county and the retirant,
prior to the retirement of the retirant, for the return to work by the retirant
after retirement;

���������
(C)
�
Each
employer shall contribute to the pension accumulation fund the required
percentage of the rehired retirant's compensation to amortize the system's
unfunded actuarial accrued liability; and

���������
(D)
�
The
retirant shall not be reemployed in a position identified as unique and
critical to operations for a period exceeding four years in total.
�
Upon reaching the four-year limit, the retirant
shall separate from the state and county employment.
"

����
2.
�

By amending subsection (f) to read:

����
"
(f)
�
No later than twenty days prior to the
convening of each regular legislative session, the director of human resources
of the appropriate state jurisdiction or the human resources management chief
executive of each county shall submit an annual report to the legislature
detailing the employment of retirants under paragraphs (4) [
and
]
,

(5)
, and (6)
of subsection (d), including the number and positions of
retirants."

����
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:

_____________________________

By
Request

Report Title:

Hawaii
Council of Mayors Package; Retirants; Employment

Description:

Authorizes
the rehiring of retirants for positions that are unique and critical to
operations.
�
Limits the duration of each
retirant's reemployment to 4 years.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.