Hawaii HB2468 - $20/Hour Mandatory Intern Wages and Apprenticeship Program Amendments

Hawaii Legislative Events

Published January 1st, 2077

Detected April 7th, 2026

Summary

Hawaii HB2468 amends the private sector On-the-Job Training Work Experience Program and State Internship and Workforce Development Program to require employers to pay interns a minimum of $20 per hour (up to 40 hours weekly) and require program sponsors to contribute 50% of intern wages while providing supervision and training. Sponsors may seek reimbursement for administrative costs capped at 10% of interns' wages. The bill also requires experience gained through internships to count toward civil service minimum qualifications and transfers program responsibilities from DLIR to the Department of Human Resources Development.

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What changed

Hawaii HB2468 establishes a mandatory $20 per hour minimum wage for all interns in the state's On-the-Job Training Work Experience Program, payable by employers for up to 40 hours per week. The bill requires apprenticeship program sponsors to contribute 50% of each intern's wages, provide supervision and training, and allows reimbursement for administrative costs up to 10% of interns' wages. The bill also mandates that experience gained through state internship programs be credited toward minimum qualifications for civil service positions.

Affected parties including employers, trade organizations, and apprenticeship program sponsors must now structure internship compensation arrangements to comply with the $20/hour minimum and sponsor contribution requirements. Program sponsors assuming wage-sharing and training responsibilities should document administrative costs for potential reimbursement. Employers participating in state workforce development programs should ensure internship experience is properly tracked for civil service qualification purposes.

What to do next

Review internship programs to ensure compliance with new $20/hour minimum wage requirement
Verify sponsor contribution arrangements for 50% wage coverage
Assess administrative cost reimbursement eligibility under 10% cap

Source document (simplified)

ChangeBridge / Hawaii / HB2468 Passed HB2468 House Bill Passed 2026-03-10

Relating To Internship Programs.

Amends the private sector On-the-Job Training Work Experience Program to allow the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to contract with employers and trade organizations or apprenticeship program sponsors without regard to chapters 103D and 103F, HRS; establish that an intern may become an apprentice in a registered apprenticeship program under certain conditions; require employers to pay $20 per hour for a maximum of forty hours per week for all interns; require sponsors to contribute 50% of each intern's wages; requires sponsors to pay, supervise, and train interns; and allow sponsors to be reimbursed for administrative costs of 10% of interns' wages. Amends the State Internship and Workforce Development Program to require experience gained by interns to be applied towards the experience needed to meet minimum qualifications for civil service positions; require the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and Department of Human Resources Development to develop guidelines for participation in the program; transfer certain program responsibilities from DLIR to DHRD. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Bill Details

State Hawaii

Session 2026 Regular Session

Chamber House

Official Source www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_ind...

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Action History

2026-04-06 S The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C.. 2026-04-01 S The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 04-06-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. 2026-03-30 S Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. 2026-03-30 S The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-01-26 10:03AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. 2026-03-30 S Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3214) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. 2026-03-18 S The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao, Ihara, Moriwaki, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. 2026-03-12 S The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-18-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. 2026-03-12 S Referred to LBT, WAM. 2026-03-12 S Passed First Reading. 2026-03-12 S Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 427). 2026-03-10 H Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate. 2026-03-06 H Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1162-26), recommending passage on Third Reading. 2026-03-05 H The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Hartsfield; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Perruso. 2026-03-03 H Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 03-05-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. 2026-02-19 H Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). 2026-02-19 H Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 482-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. 2026-02-12 H The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. 2026-02-10 H Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Thursday, 02-12-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. 2026-02-02 H Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 6 2026-01-28 H Introduced and Pass First Reading. 2026-01-27 H Pending introduction.

Votes

2026-03-18 Senate Labor and Technology: Passed, With Amendments Yea: 5 Nay: 0 2026-04-06 Senate Ways and Means: Passed, With Amendments Yea: 12 Nay: 0

Committee Referrals

2026-02-02 H Labor & Public Employment 2026-02-19 H Finance 2026-03-12 S Labor and Technology 2026-03-30 S Ways and Means

Bill Text Versions

2026-01-28 Introduced 2026-02-18 Amended 2026-03-25 Amended

Subjects

DLIR DHRD Internship Programs Workforce Development On-the-Job Training Work Experience Program State Internship and Workforce Development Program Minimum Qualifications Civil Service Appropriation ($) Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)