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chapter-8•Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 8 — Holidays and Periods of Recognition and Observance
chapter-8Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 8CodeJan 1, 1896
Division 1. Government — Title 1. General Provisions
Hawaii Revised Statutes as published by the Hawaii State Legislature (files updated 1/5/2026 7:14 PM).
The following days of each year are set apart and established as state holidays:
The first day in January, New Year's Day;
The third Monday in January, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day;
The third Monday in February, Presidents' Day;
The twenty-sixth day in March, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day;
The Friday preceding Easter Sunday, Good Friday;
The last Monday in May, Memorial Day;
The eleventh day in June, King Kamehameha I Day;
The fourth day in July, Independence Day;
The third Friday in August, Statehood Day;
The first Monday in September, Labor Day;
The eleventh day in November, Veterans' Day;
The fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving Day;
The twenty-fifth day in December, Christmas Day;
All election days, except primary and special election days, in the county wherein the election is held;
Any day designated by proclamation by the President of the United States or by the governor as a holiday.
[L 1896, c 66, §1; am L 1903, c 55, §1; am L 1911, c 167, §1; am L 1915, c 20, §1; am L 1919, c 54, §1; RL 1925, pt of §146; RL 1935, pt of §21; am L 1941, c 132, pt of §1; RL 1945, pt of §21; am L 1945, JR 8, §1; am L 1949, JR 15, §1; am L 1953, c 278, pt of §10; am L 1955, c 9, §1; RL 1955, pt of §1-43; am L 1961, c 116, pt of §1; am L 1965, c 162, §1; HRS §8-1; am L 1969, c 156, §1; am L 1971, c 21, §2; am L 1976, c 220, §2; am L 1978, c 205, §2; am L 1980, c 11, §1; am L 1988, c 220, §1; am L 2001, c 65, §1]
The second Monday in October shall be known as Discoverers' Day, in recognition of the Polynesian discoverers of the Hawaiian Islands, provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 1988, c 220, §4]
If any of the State's legal holidays fall on Sunday, the following Monday shall be observed as a holiday. If the day falls on Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be observed as a holiday.
[L 1923, c 151, §1; RL 1925, pt of §146; RL 1935, pt of §21; am L 1941, c 132, pt of §1; am L 1953, c 274, pt of §10; RL 1955, pt of §1-43; am L 1961, c 116, pt of §1; HRS §8-2; am L 1968, c 39, §2; am L 1969, c 156, §2; am L 1976, c 54, §1]
Whenever in the opinion of the governor, a public emergency exists, and it seems to the governor to be in the public interest, the governor may by proclamation designate and proclaim as legal banking holidays in the State such number of consecutive days as in the governor's judgment the emergency may require. The governor may extend the same as the governor may deem advisable. The proclamation of bank holidays shall not relate to any business other than that of banking and kindred operations, nor as prohibiting, perforce, any voluntary conduct of banking business, in whole or in part, except to the extent declared in the proclamation or in any further proclamation in enlargement or modification thereof.
[L 1933, c 3, §1; RL 1935, pt of §21; am L 1941, c 132, pt of §1; RL 1955, pt of §1-43; am L 1961, c 116, pt of §1; HRS §8-3; gen ch 1985]
January 30 shall be known and designated as "Civil Liberties and the Constitution Day" to celebrate, honor, and encourage public education and awareness of the commitment of individuals to preserving civil liberties for Americans of Japanese ancestry and actions to promote equal rights for all citizens. This day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2013, c 94, §2]
September eleventh shall be known and designated as "Patriot Day". This day shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2009, c 14, §2]
[§8-3.6] Gold Star Family Day. The last Sunday in September shall be known as "Gold Star Family Day", in recognition of the family members of the men and women who have given their lives for their country while serving with the armed forces of the United States in time of war or during a period of hostilities. This day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2014, c 7, §2]
April 8 of each year shall be known and designated as "Buddha Day", provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 1963, c 162, §1; Supp, §1-43; HRS §8-4]
The 21st day of March shall be known as Baha'i New Year's Day, provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 1971, c 39, §1]
The one week period following the day of the Chinese New Year shall be known and designated as the "Asian Lunar New Year Week of Commemoration in Hawaii". This week is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2007, c 48, §2]
(a) There shall be a commission to be known as the King Kamehameha celebration commission placed within the department of accounting and general services for administrative purposes. The commission shall consist of fifteen members to be appointed by the governor in the manner provided by section 26-34. The appointments shall be made from the following organizations, with one member from each organization:
(1) Royal Order of Kamehameha I;
(2) Ahahui Kaahumanu;
(3) Hale O Nā Alii O Hawaii Ahahui Poo;
(4) Daughters and Sons of Hawaiian Warriors Māmakakaua;
(5) Kamehameha Schools Alumni Association;
(6) Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs;
(7) Waimānalo Hawaiian Homes Association;
(8) Daughters of Hawaii;
(9) Kapahulu Music Club; and
(10) Papakōlea Community Association.
Each organization shall maintain a certificate of good standing issued by the department of commerce and consumer affairs and an active membership list. Each organization may recommend for appointment to the commission persons capable of providing administrative guidance to the commission with regard to knowledge of Hawaiian culture, history and protocols, legal issues, business, accounting, marketing, philanthropy, or public relations.
In addition, the governor shall appoint one member to the commission from each of the following islands: Kauai, Lānai, Maui, Molokai, and Hawaii. Each of these members shall be a resident of the respective island that the member represents. The governor shall appoint persons capable of providing administrative guidance with regard to legal issues, business, accounting, marketing, philanthropy, or public relations.
(b) The terms of all appointments shall be four years. The governor shall appoint the chairperson of the commission from among the members.
(c) The members of the King Kamehameha celebration commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel and necessary expenses while attending meetings and while in discharge of their duties. The comptroller shall reimburse the members of the King Kamehameha celebration commission for all necessary expenses incurred during the discharge of their duties.
(d) The commission may appoint and dismiss an arts program specialist and a part-time clerk typist, without regard to chapter 76, who shall serve at the commission's pleasure, and whose salaries shall be provided through fees, public contributions, and private donations. The commission, by majority vote, shall appoint an executive director who shall be familiar with the people and culture of Hawai`i, and shall serve without regard to chapter 76 for a term to be determined by the commission. Except for matters undertaken by the comptroller pursuant to subsection (f), the executive director shall be responsible for all fiscal and administrative matters, including securing public contributions and private foundation grants or donations. The executive director shall also be responsible for developing and administering programs as the commission may direct. The executive director may be removed for cause at any time by a two-thirds vote of all commission members.
(e) The commission shall manage all arrangements for the celebration under its direction each year generally observed throughout Hawaii Nei on June 11, and shall support any other events as it may approve to commemorate the memory of the great Polynesian Hawaiian warrior and statesman King Kamehameha I, who united the Hawaiian Islands into the Kingdom of Hawaii, and is recognized as such under section 8-1. The commission may appoint committees and delegate powers and duties to the committees as it shall determine.
(f) The comptroller shall account for all moneys appropriated by the legislature, may raise funds to defray administrative costs, and may accept donations of money and personal property on behalf of the commission; provided that all donations accepted from private sources shall be expended in the manner prescribed by the contributor, and all moneys received from all sources shall be deposited into the commission's trust account.
(g) The commission shall be the coordinating agency for all commission-approved events as provided in subsection (e) and as designated by the commission to ensure that activities planned are timely and appropriate to commemorate the memory of King Kamehameha I. The commission shall be authorized to determine to whom and for which occasions permission is to be granted for the use of the statue of King Kamehameha I.
(h) The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary for the purpose of this section.
[L 1939, c 227, §1; RL 1945, §12935; am L 1949, c 87, §1; RL 1955, §14-6; am L 1957, c 152, §1; am L 1959, c 117, §1; HRS §8-5; am L 1970, c 193, §1; am L 1972, c 50, §1; am L 1974, c 57, §1; am L 1981, c 220, §1; am L 1984, c 227, §2; gen ch 1985; am L 1988, c 220, §2; am L 1993, c 280, §2; am L 1997, c 189, §1; am L 1998, c 193, §1; am L 2000, c 253, §150; am L 2018, c 83, §1]
September 2 of each year shall be known and recognized as "Queen Lili‘uokalani Day" in memory of the birth of Queen Lili‘uokalani on September 2, 1838; provided that this day shall not be a state holiday.
[L 1993, c 11, §1]
[Repealed]
[L 1988, c 220, §3]
The first Friday in November shall be known as Arbor Day, provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 1979, c 17, §1]
May 10 of each year shall be known and designated as "Saint Damien de Veuster Day", provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 1982, c 46, §1; am L 2010, c 10, §2]
January 23 of each year shall be known and designated as "Saint Marianne Cope Day", provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2014, c 3, §2]
The third Sunday of October shall be known and recognized as "Respect for Our Elders Day" during which our elders may be honored with appropriate displays, celebrations, and ceremonies. Respect for Our Elders Day shall not be taken as a state holiday.
[L 1986, c 15, §1]
December 8 of each year shall be known and designated as "Bodhi Day" in recognition that on this day Prince Siddhartha Gautama, after six years of study and rigorous ascetic practices and meditation, attained "enlightenment" or "awakening" to the true nature of existence, which was later conceptualized as the "Four Noble Truths". This day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 1990, c 216, §1]
§8‑11 Children and Youth Day and Month. (a) The first Sunday in October shall be known and designated as "Children and Youth Day", and the entire month of October shall be known and designated as "Children and Youth Month". This day and month are not and shall not be construed to be state holidays.
(b) Unless otherwise determined by the governor, public events celebrating children and youth may be held in the area of the state capitol, including on and around its grounds, as follows:
(1) Celebrations of Children and Youth Day may be held on the first Sunday of October; and
(2) Public events, such as the Children and Youth Summit, which may be held in the month of October.
[L 1994, c 243, §2; am L 1997, c 30, §2; am L 2012, c 221, §1]
June 8 of each year shall be known and recognized as "World Ocean Day" to celebrate and honor the oceans of the world, improve international relations, and increase public awareness of conservation management of the ocean environment; provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday. All citizens shall be encouraged to observe and celebrate the blessings of the oceans and endeavor to become caretakers of the ocean for future generations.
[L 1998, c 21, §2; am L 2009, c 2, §1]
May 15 of each year shall be known and designated as "Water Safety Day" to spread awareness of drowning and educate Hawaii's youth in becoming safer in and around the water. This day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2024, c 24, §2]
May 1 of each year shall be known as "May Day is Lei Day in Hawai‘i"; provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2001, c 11, §2]
The month of April shall be known and designated as "Financial Literacy Month". This month is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2004, c 37, §2; am L 2006, c 47, §2]
The fourth Saturday of July shall be known and designated as Kupuna Recognition Day, in recognition of the very significant role that kupuna play in Hawaii's culture, history, and traditions. This day is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2006, c 122, §1]
September 21 of each year shall be known and recognized as "Peace Day" to promote peace programs, improve international relations, and increase educational awareness of peace; provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday. All citizens shall be encouraged to observe and celebrate the blessings of peace and endeavor to create peace on Peace Day.
[L 2007, c 23, §1]
October 2 of each year shall be known and designated as "Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi Day"; provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2015, c 5, §2]
. The first Saturday of November shall be known and designated as "Caregiver Recognition Day", in recognition of the very significant role that caregivers play in support of Hawaii's elderly and persons with disabilities. This day is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
As used in this section, "caregiver" means any person who has undertaken the care, custody, or physical assistance of an elderly or disabled person, including but not limited to compensated or uncompensated family members or other relatives, or any person who has the desire, or a legal, or contractual duty to care for the health, safety, and welfare of an elderly or disabled person, including owners, operators, employees, or staff of long-term care facilities and community home-based institutions.
[L 2008, c 6, §1]
The month of October shall be known and designated as "Filipino-American History Month". The month of October shall commemorate the contributions of Filipino-Americans to the history and heritage of Hawaii and the United States. This month is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2008, c 15, §2]
December 20 of each year shall be known and designated as "Sakada Day"; provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2015, c 7, §2]
One of the kapu Hua days of Mōhalu, Hua, or Akua of the lunar month of `Ikuā of each year shall be known and designated as Makahiki Commemoration Day to recognize the Makahiki, a season and New Year festival of Hawaiian tradition celebrating harvest, bounty, and the god Lono. The calendar date on which the State should commemorate the Makahiki season shall be projected yearly using various technologies that track celestial phenomena to determine and publicize the equivalent day of the Gregorian calendar. This day is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2008, c 68, §2; am L 2024, c 120, §1]
The month of August shall be known and designated as "Language Access Month" to promote awareness of language access for government services and emphasize the importance of and need for language access in Hawaii's diverse society. This month is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2009, c 69, §2]
The month of October shall be known and designated as "Domestic Violence Awareness Month" to promote public awareness of domestic violence as a significant societal, public health, and criminal justice problem. This month is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2012, c 73, §1]
The month of October shall be known and designated as "Kalo Appreciation Month" to celebrate the strong kalo tradition in Hawaii and the cultural connection of native Hawaiians to kalo, the Hawaiian word for taro. This month is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2013, c 7, §2]
The month of November shall be known and designated as "Homelessness Awareness Month" to promote public awareness of homelessness as a significant societal, public health and welfare, and public housing shortage problem. This month is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2013, c 50, §1]
Ōlelo Hawaii Month.](a) Mahina Ōlelo Hawaii. E ike mau a e kapa ia ana ae ka mahina o Pepeluali o ia ka "Mahina Ōlelo Hawaii" i mea e hoomaikai a e paipai aku ai i ka ōlelo ana o ua ōlelo makuahine nei la. Aole e kū ana kēia mahina i kapa ia ka "Mahina Ōlelo Hawaii" i lānui o ka mokuāina o Hawaii.
(b) Ōlelo Hawaii Month. The month of February shall be known and designated as "Ōlelo Hawaii Month" to celebrate and encourage the use of Hawaiian language. This month is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2013, c 28, §2]
The month of January shall be known and designated as "Human Trafficking Awareness Month" to promote public awareness of human trafficking as a significant societal and public health crisis. This month is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2013, c 246, §1]
The month of June shall be known and designated as "Outdoor Heritage Month" to celebrate Hawaii's diverse natural environment and recreational activities.
[L 2014, c 12, §2]
The month of October shall be known and designated as "Farm to School Month in Hawaii" to promote public awareness of the State's farm to school initiative "connecting keiki to the 'āina" through coordinated activities and resources connecting schools and local farms with the objectives of serving healthy Hawaii-grown meals in school cafeterias; improving student nutrition; lowering childhood obesity; supporting local farmers; and exposing students to agriculture, nutrition, and educational opportunities through classroom activities, farm field trips, and school gardens. This month is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2017, c 10, §1]
The month of September shall be known and designated as "Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month". This month is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2019, c 36, §2]
June 21 of each year shall be known and designated as "International Yoga Day"; provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2019, c 102, §2]
June 19 of each year shall be known and designated as Juneteenth to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States and in honor and recognition of the significant roles and contributions of African Americans in the history of the United States. Juneteenth is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2021, c 53, §2]
[ §8‑33] Kalaupapa Month. The month of January shall be known and designated as "Kalaupapa Month", to serve as an annual reminder of the importance of Kalaupapa and the significant sacrifices and contributions of its residents throughout the history of Hawaii. This month is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2021, c 52, §2]
July 31 of each year shall be known and designated as La Hoihoi Ea to recognize the accomplishments of King Kamehameha III in restoring the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hawaii and honor upstanding members of the Hawaiian community. La Hoihoi Ea is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2022, c 82, §2]
The month of April shall be known and designated as "Volunteer Month" to honor volunteers in the community and encourage participation in service projects throughout the month. This month is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2022, c 81, §2]
November 28 of each year shall be known and designated as La Kuokoa, Hawaiian Independence Day, to celebrate the historical recognition of the independence of the Kingdom of Hawaii. This day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2023, c 11, §2]
The second Monday in October of each year shall be known as Indigenous Peoples' Day; provided that this day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2023, c 152, §2]
The month of September shall be known and designated as "Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month" to promote public awareness of the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. This month is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2023, c 12, §2]
The month of October shall be known and designated as "Disability Awareness Month: Employment, Enrichment, and Inclusion." This month is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2023, c 245, §2]
November 22 of each year shall be known and designated as "Kimchi Day". This day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2024, c 8, §2]
The month of September shall be known and designated as "Hawaiian History Month" to promote public awareness of Hawaii's history, honor Queen Liliuokalani, and recognize the contributions of the Native Hawaiian community. This month is not and shall not be construed as a state holiday.
[L 2025, c 167, §2]
The first Friday in May of each year shall be known and designated as "Laulau Day". This day is not and shall not be construed to be a state holiday.
[L 2025, c 270, §2]
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