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The last legislature of the Republic of Hawaii adjourned sine die on July 7, 1898. Annexation of Hawaii to the United States followed quickly, but the Organic Act, which established the Government for the Territory of Hawaii, did not take effect until June 14, 1900. Consequently, Hawaii was without a formal legislative body until the First Legislature of the Territory of Hawaii, consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives, whose members were elected in November 1900, convened, as specified in the Organic Act, on February 20, 1901. The first Senate was made up of 15 members from 4 Senatorial Districts; the House of Representatives had 30 members from 6 Representative Districts. The Organic Act also enumerated the powers of the Legislature, the qualifications of the legislators and the lengths of legislative sessions; and it required, inter alia, that all proceedings be in English. The Legislature of the Territory of Hawaii met in 30 regular biennial sessions, 13 special sessions and 3 extra sessions between 1901 and 1959.

In these sessions, the legislature organized itself into several standing and special committees which carried on the work of hearing testimony, investigating claims, evaluating bills and resolutions, etc. In addition, the legislature occasionally created, usually by joint resolution, holdover committees, to meet between legislative sessions, investigate specific situations or pursue matters which were not dealt with completely during regular and special sessions, and report their findings and recommendations at the succeeding session.

The 30th and last Legislature of the Territory of Hawaii, which, pursuant to a change to the Organic Act that went into effect for the 1958 election, consisted of 25 Senators from 6 Senatorial Districts and 52 Representatives from 18 Representative Districts, adjourned for the last time on May 2, 1959. In August 1959, Hawaii became the 50th State of the United States of America.

Developed program for researching industrial methods and resource utilization for economic benefit of Hawai‘i, to include agricultural methods and resources. In 1955, functions transferred to the Economic Planning and Coordination Authority.

The Insurance Division was created by Act 69, SLH, 1903 to regulate both foreign and domestic insurance agencies operating in Hawaii. The department is headed by an Insurance Commissioner and a Lieutenant Insurance Commissioner. The Insurance Commissioner was originally the ex-officio Territorial Treasurer. In 1963, the Department of Treasury and Regulation was renamed the Department of Regulatory Agencies (Act 114, SLH), and renamed again the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs in 1982 (Act 20, SLH). The Health Insurance Branch was established in the Insurance Division when the division was assigned new representation by Act 127, SLH, 1999.

By 1864, the First Circuit Court on Oahu was gradually phased out of existence and its judicial powers were transferred to the Supreme Court.

In 1865 the circuit court was abolished, but the appellate jurisdictions in chambers remained as a function. Such proceedings were referred to as Intermediary Court, but the person presiding was called the First Circuit Court Judge. Appellate jurisdictions in chambers remained as a circuit court function and such proceedings were referred to as Intermediary Court. In 1874, the intermediary function of the First Circuit Court judge was transferred to the Supreme Court, which now held both original and appellate jurisdiction for the island of Oahu. The term Intermediary Court continued to be used when a Supreme Court Justice presided in that role.

In 1892, the functions of the Supreme Court were restricted to those of an appellate court. Its functions as a circuit court were assumed by a reestablished First Circuit Court.