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2023 Mid-Session Highlights
(As of March 8, 2023)
The following summarizes selected bills passing the House of Representatives as of March 8, 2023. These measures will now go to the Senate for consideration. `These are only a few of the 450 bills passed during this session. For a complete list, refer to the crossover list by clicking here.
AGRICULTURE & FOOD SYSTEMS
Qualified Farms; Donations; Tax Credit; Appropriation (Rep. Poepoe Primary Introducer)
Establishes an income tax credit for qualified farms that donate eligible food products or prepared food to food banks or food pantries located in the State. HB619 HD2
DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks; Hawaii Healthy Food Incentive Program; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; Department of Agriculture. Appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture for the continued administration of the Hawaii Healthy Food Incentive Program, also known as DA BUX or DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks, which provides matching funds to federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries who use SNAP funds to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at certain food retailers. HB1248 HD1
Food and Product Innovation Network; Agribusiness Development Corporation. Establishes within the Agribusiness Development Corporation a food and product innovation network in each county, which is a statewide network of open-access food and value-added product development facilities to enable businesses to scale up new products from research and development to manufacturing and commercialization. Appropriates funds for food and product innovation facilities on the islands of Molokai, Oahu, and Hawaii. HB1426 HD1
Hawaii Agricultural Investment Program; Department of Agriculture. Establishes the Hawaii Agricultural Investment Program within the Department of Agriculture to provide a dedicated source of funding for the local agricultural sector. HB690 HD1
Sustainable Food Systems Working Group; Interagency Food Systems Plan; Department of Agriculture. Establishes the Sustainable Food Systems Working Group within the Department of Agriculture to identify a governance structure and develop an Interagency Food Systems Plan linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for a more sustainable, resilient local food economy that enhances and sustains the environmental, economic, and social health of the community. Requires the Working Group to submit the plan and any implementation recommendations to the Legislature before the Regular Session of 2025. HB308 HD1
Wild Game Food Donation. Allows wild game to be donated as a food product for use or distribution by a charitable, religious, or nonprofit organization to needy persons. Excepts the donation of wild game to these organizations from certain civil liability and criminal penalties, under certain conditions. HB1266 HD2
CONSUMER PROTECTION & COMMERCE
Check Cashers; Financial Exploitation; Reporting; Elders; Vulnerable Adults. Requires check cashers to report to the Director of the Office of Consumer Protection of any suspected financial exploitation of elders or vulnerable adults in relation to check cashing. Authorizes check cashers to notify a reasonably associated individual or any third party previously designated by an elder or vulnerable adult of any suspected financial exploitation. Authorizes a check casher to refuse to cash a check in situations of suspected financial exploitation. Provides immunity for good faith disclosure and refusal to cash checks. Exempts persons engaged in business as a bank and various other financial institutions from the reporting requirements. HB642 HD2
Coffee Labeling; Geographic Indications; Prohibitions. Requires disclosure on the label of coffee blends of the origins, including regions within Hawaii and regions outside of Hawaii, and percent by weight of the blended coffees. Makes it a violation to use geographic origins in labeling or advertising that indicate the origin of the coffee is from a region within Hawaii if the roasted or instant coffee blend contains less than a certain percentage of coffee by weight from that region, phased in to a minimum of 51 percent. Prohibits the use of "All Hawaiian" in labeling or advertising for roasted or instant coffee not produced entirely from green coffee beans grown and processed in Hawaii. HB259 HD1
Liquor Licensees; Off-Premises Consumption; Curbside Delivery. Authorizes liquor licensees engaged in meal service to sell unopened beer, wine, and prepackaged cocktails with food for pick up, delivery, take out, or other means to be consumed off-premises. Authorizes liquor licensees holding class 4 retail dealer licenses to deliver purchased liquor to a customer's vehicle located at a nearby curbside or other designated location. HB16 HD2
CORRECTIONS, MILITARY, & VETERANS
Corrections; Facilities; Deaths; Reports; Information. Expands the scope of inmate deaths that are to reported to the Governor and Legislature. Requires reports to be published on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation website. Requires reports on the cause of death and mandates public access to certain information within those reports. HB823 HD2
Corrections; Inmates; Programming; Gender Parity; University of Hawaii; Study; Appropriation. Requires and appropriates funds for the University of Hawaii at Manoa Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health to conduct a comparative study of all programming offered to persons incarcerated at correctional facilities in the State for the purpose of identifying gaps in programming offered to female inmates. Requires that the study be submitted to the Legislature by December 1, 2023. HB1131 HD1
Courts; Corrections; Arrests; Pretrial Release; Parole; Revocation. Expands the authorized issuance of citations in lieu of arrests, under certain conditions. Authorizes a grace period after a missed initial court appearance. Amends various provisions related to pretrial release. Allows the court to order substance abuse assessment and treatment. Prohibits the arrest of a parolee, or the revocation of parole, solely due to the defendant having one positive test for drug use. HB1336 HD2
Department of Public Safety; Adult Correctional Officers; Control Rooms; Cameras; Body Cameras; Appropriation. Appropriates funds for purchasing digital cameras for all adult correctional officer control rooms at state correctional facilities and body cameras for adult correctional officers to wear while on duty at state correctional facilities. HB1235 HD2
Department of Public Safety; Adult Corrections Officers; Trauma-informed Certification Program; Appropriation. Appropriates funds to the Department of Public Safety to administer level I trauma-informed certification programs for adult corrections officers statewide. HB1130 HD1
CULTURE, ARTS, & INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Art in Private Places Program; State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Appropriates funds to the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts for the Art in Private Places Program and the establishment of one full-time equivalent permanent position. HB475 HD1
Artist Fellowship Program; State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Appropriates funds for the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts Artist Fellowship Program for the awarding of one-time fellowships to promising artists. HB478 HD1
Creative Workforce Grant Program; State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Appropriates funds for the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts Creative Workforce Grant Program for the awarding of grants to eligible nonprofit arts and culture organizations to support the living wage of creative workers. HB473 HD1
Disability Awareness Month. Designates the month of October as "Disability Awareness Month: Employment, Enrichment, and Inclusion" in recognition of the employment challenges and successes of persons with disabilities in the State. HB794 HD1
University of Hawaii Pamantasan Council; Positions. Appropriates funds for three full-time equivalent Academic and Support Services Specialist positions for the University of Hawaii Pamantasan Council. HB968 HD1
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Economic Diversification; Public Policy Framework and Projects; Hawaii Technology Development Corporation. Establishes a public policy framework that addresses state goals in the area of economic diversification. Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to implement specific projects that address those goals and requires the Corporation to submit annual reports to the Legislature before the Regular Sessions of 2024, 2025, and 2026 on the progress and outcomes of the projects, along with any findings and recommendations. HB999 HD1
Employer-provided Child Care Income Tax Credit; Employer-sponsored Child Care Income Tax Credit; Employer Child Care Property Income Tax Credit. Establishes an employer-provided or employer-sponsored child care income tax credit for employers that provide or sponsor child care as an employee benefit. Establishes an employer child care property income tax credit for the cost of child care property purchased or acquired by an employer and put into service for employer-provided child care. HB400 HD2
Filming Projects; Workforce Development Incentive Rebate Program; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to administer a workforce development incentive rebate program to provide rebates, in lieu of Motion Picture, Digital Media, and Film Production Income Tax Credits, to qualifying employers based on Hawaii W-2 wages paid for certain filming work. HB1373 HD2
Income Tax; Taxable Income Brackets; Personal Exemption; Standard Deduction; Cost-of-living Adjustment; Earned Income Tax Credit. Increases the taxable income bracket and application of the income tax rates, personal exemption, and standard deduction amounts for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022. Adjusts annually for tax years beginning after December 31, 2023, the taxable income bracket, personal exemption, and standard deduction amounts by a cost-of-living adjustment factor. Changes the amount of the state earned income tax credit to an unspecified percentage of the federal earned income tax credit allowed based on an individual's federal income tax return. HB954 HD2
Refundable Food/Excise Tax Credit. Amends the income brackets and credit amounts of the refundable food/excise tax credit. HB493 HD2
EDUCATION
Department of Education; Cafeteria Student Helpers; Safety Training. Requires the Department of Education to develop and implement safety training for all cafeteria student helpers and ensure the student helpers receive the training prior to them volunteering. Requires the Department to provide personal protective equipment for all cafeteria student helpers prior to the student helpers volunteering. Requires all cafeteria student helpers to be directed and supervised by trained personnel at all times. HB260 HD1
Department of Education; School Bus Services; Appropriation. Appropriates funds to the Department of Education for school bus services. HB1330 HD1
Department of Education; School Psychologists; Nationally Certified School Psychologist Incentive Program; Appropriation. Establishes a Nationally Certified School Psychologist Incentive Program within the Department of Education. Appropriates funds for the Program. HB54 HD1
Education; Department of Education; National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard. Adopts the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard to provide for the timely availability of accessible instructional materials and technology for eligible students. Requires the Department of Education to obtain instructional materials in accessible formats for eligible students. HB388 HD1
Educational Supplies; Tax Credit; Schools; Educators. Establishes an income tax credit for qualified expenses incurred by teachers and other school personnel employed by the Department of Education, Hawaii State Public Library System, or as part of a Head Start Program in a school. HB1327 HD2
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Asphalt Recycling; DOH; DOT; Environmental Protection (Rep. Poepoe Primary Introducer).
Requires that asphalt removed from roads and driveways be recycled. Requires the Department of Transportation to adopt rules regarding best practices for paving projects, asphalt processing, and asphalt disposal. Requires the Department of Health to designate asphalt storage sites or develop a centralized asphalt state processing and storage facility. HB1406 HD1
Building Benchmarking Program; Hawaii State Energy Office; ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager; Benchmarking Data Reporting. Establishes and appropriates funds for the Building Benchmarking Program, requiring state agencies to process the aggregated energy and water data of certain state-controlled properties through the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager or alternative benchmarking tool. Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office to publish on a publicly available website an annual report on the benchmarking data received. HB654 HD2
Cesspools; County Cesspool Conversion Pilot Program; Department of Health Cesspool Conversion Section; Cesspool Upgrade, Conversion, or Connection Income Tax Credit; Mandatory Seller Disclosures for Real Property Transactions. Establishes and appropriates funds for a County Cesspool Pilot Program in the Department of Health to work with each county to identify a priority area to expand the county sewage system or other centralized treatment system to connect individual properties in the priority area and reduce or eliminate cesspools in the identified area. Establishes a Cesspool Conversion Section in the Department of Health to facilitate the conversion of cesspools within the State and establishes and appropriates funds for positions within the Cesspool Conversion Section. Reestablishes the cesspool upgrade, conversion, or connection income tax credit to assist with the cost of upgrading or converting a qualified cesspool to a Director of Health-approved wastewater system or of connecting to a sewerage system. Requires certain information regarding cesspools to be included in mandatory seller disclosures for real property transactions. HB1396 HD2
Electric Vehicle Charger-Ready Parking; State Facilities; Retrofitting; Hawaii State Energy Office. Requires that the design of new state facilities include parking areas that are electric vehicle charger-ready. Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office, in consultation with the Department of Accounting and General Services and Department of Transportation, to develop and apply filters by which to survey existing state facilities statewide that include parking and to prioritize retrofitting state facilities with certain readily available information. Establishes a goal of the State to retrofit state facilities to be electric vehicle charger-ready. Appropriates funds to the Department of Accounting and General Services to conduct detailed cost assessments and to install or contract for installation of retrofits and electric vehicle charging systems at selected state facilities. HB346 HD2
Green Infrastructure; Hawaii State Planning Act; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force; Report. Establishes green infrastructure objectives, policies, and priority guidelines in the Hawaii State Planning Act for state facility systems, infrastructure, transit projects, and other areas to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors. HB837 HD1
Solar Energy Storage System Loan Program; Renewable Energy System Installation Loan Program; Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority. Establishes and appropriates funds for a Solar Energy Storage System Loan Program to provide asset limited, income constrained, employed (ALICE) households with low-interest loans to purchase and install solar energy storage systems. Establishes and appropriates funds for a Renewable Energy System Installation Loan Program to provide ALICE households with low-interest loans to purchase and install residential photovoltaic and energy storage systems, including battery storage systems. HB949 HD2
FINANCE
Conveyance Tax; Land Conservation Fund (Rep. Poepoe Primary Introducer)
Increases the maximum amount of conveyance tax revenues allocated the land conservation fund. HB908 HD2
Excess General Fund Revenues; Disposition. Provides a tax credit to taxpayers and makes deposits to the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund, also known as the Rainy Day Fund, and Other Post-Employment Benefits Trust Fund pursuant to Article VII, Section 6, of the Hawaii State Constitution. HB40
Legislative Budget. Provides funds for the expenses of the Legislature, Auditor, Legislative Reference Bureau, Ombudsman, and Ethics Commission. HB1514 SD1
Non-general Funds; Reports. Amends the contents required to be submitted in each annual non-general fund program measures report. Requires budget journal details by cost element be submitted as part of each annual non-general fund cost element report. HB35 HD1
State Bonds; State Budget. Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and makes findings to declare that the issuance of the authorized bonds will not cause the State's debt limit to be exceeded. HB33 HD1
Tax Rebate; Refundable Food/Excise Tax Rebate. Converts the Refundable Food/Excise Tax Credit to a tax rebate to be issued to qualifying taxpayers annually. Applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022. HB25 HD2
HEALTH & HOMELESSNESS
Telehealth; Accident and Health or Sickness Insurance (Rep. Poepoe Primary Introducer). Authorizes reimbursement of telehealth services provided by way of an interactive telecommunications system be reimbursed. HB907 HD2
Prevent Suicide Hawaii Task Force; Native Hawaiians; Pacific Islanders (Rep. Poepoe Primary Introducer) Makes permanent the prevent suicide Hawaii task force within the department of health. Requires the task force to focus on reducing the suicide rate among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the State. HB622 HD2
Assisted Community Treatment Orders; Family Court. Extends the time period that the Family Court may order continued assisted community treatment from one year to two years. Reduces the time period that the Family Court needs to determine whether assisted community treatment should continue from 180 days to 100 days. HB950 HD1
Criminal Justice Diversion Program; Fitness to Proceed; Mental Health Treatment; Probation Violators; Behavioral Health Crisis Centers. Requires the Department of Health to establish rules for the requirements, terms, conditions, and circumstances under which fitness to proceed examinations may be administered by telehealth. Expands the criminal justice diversion program to include nonviolent misdemeanants and defendants charged with promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree. Establishes a mechanism for defendants in the program to be automatically screened for involuntary hospitalization or assisted community treatment. Amends the allowable period of court-ordered assisted community treatment and considerations for extensions of the treatment. Authorizes courts to divert a case against a defendant charged with a petty misdemeanor or nonviolent misdemeanor into certain treatment programs and dismiss the charge upon the defendant's successful completion of the diversion. Authorizes courts to require certain probation violators to undergo mental health evaluation and treatment as a condition of continued probation. Requires the Department of Health to establish or contract with behavioral health crisis centers in each county. HB1442 HD2
Crisis Mobile Outreach Team Pilot Program; Children and Adolescents; At-Risk Youth. Establishes a two-year Child and Adolescent Crisis Mobile Outreach Team Pilot Program to expand and support existing crisis response services and program for at-risk youth. Requires the Pilot Program to begin on January 1, 2024, with one crisis mobile outreach team located on Oahu and one crisis mobile outreach team to be located at a site on a neighbor island, to be determined by the Department of Health. HB948 HD2
Department of Land and Natural Resources; Homelessness Coordinator; Positions. Establishes and appropriates funds for Homelessness Coordinator positions on Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Hawaii Island to coordinate activities across all divisions of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to respond to homeless individuals on department lands on each island. HB1254 HD1
Oahu Regional Health Care System; Department of Health; Department of Defense; Strategic Plan; Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home; Reports. Requires the Department of Health and Oahu Regional Health Care System to develop a strategic plan for the utilization of all Oahu Regional Health Care System facilities and report to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2024. Extends the assimilation of the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home into the Oahu Regional Health Care System to June 30, 2024. Requires the Oahu Regional Health Care System and Department of Defense to provide a joint progress report to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2024 regarding construction of and the hiring of an operator for the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home. HB406 HD2
HIGHER EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY
Campus Safety; University of Hawaii; Training; Sexual Misconduct; Trauma-Informed Response; Appropriation. Requires that the University of Hawaii ensure that any individual who participates in implementing the University's disciplinary process has training or experience in handling sexual misconduct complaints and the University's disciplinary process. Requires that the University provide mandatory annual trauma-informed, gender-inclusive, LGBTQ+ inclusive sexual misconduct primary prevention and awareness programming for students and employees of the university. Prohibits the University from taking disciplinary action against individuals reporting sexual misconduct unless certain exceptions apply. Establishes positions and appropriates funds for the University to meet these requirements. HB554 HD2
Digital Equity Grant Program; Broadband Access; Appropriation. Establishes the Digital Equity Grant Program to award grants to applicants to deploy digital equity projects to covered populations in the State. Appropriates funds for the Digital Equity Grant Program. HB1408 HD3
University of Hawaii; Law School; Hawaiinuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge; Prison Reform; Hookaulike; Appropriations. Establishes the Hookaulike: A Criminal Legal System Institute for Restoration and Healing, at the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law. Appropriates funds for positions and the institute. HB877 HD1
University of Hawaii Promise Program; Scholarships; Four-year University of Hawaii Campus; Appropriation. Provides scholarships for the unmet direct cost needs of qualified students at any four-year University of Hawaii campus who meet certain eligibility criteria. Appropriates funds for the Promise Program. HB390 HD1
HOUSING
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Housing Development; General Excise Tax Exemption; School Impact Fee Exemption; County Affordable Housing Credits. Exempts certain projects for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from general excise taxes. Makes permanent the exemption of certain housing developed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from school impact fee requirements. Ensures that the $600,000,000 appropriated to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands by Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, is available for expenditure until June 30, 2025. Makes permanent the issuance of county affordable housing credits to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. HB567 HD2
Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Pilot Program. Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to establish a five-year Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Pilot Program and report to the Legislature regarding the Pilot Program. Appropriates funds into and out of the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund for the Pilot Program. Appropriates funds for one full-time equivalent Housing Development Specialist III position. HB677 HD1
Pre-Litigation Mediation Pilot Program; Emergency Rent Relief Program; Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Establishes and appropriates funds for a Pre-Litigation Mediation Pilot Program that extends the period for a notice of termination of a rental agreement from five business days to ten calendar days and requires landlords to participate in mediation before filing an action for summary possession and provide certain information to tenants. Creates and appropriates funds for an Emergency Rent Relief Program available to participants in the Pre-Litigation Mediation Pilot Program. HB1439 HD2
Rental Housing Revolving Fund; Mixed-Income Rental Projects or Units. Appropriates funds into and out of the Rental Housing Revolving Fund to be used for the purposes of the fund. Earmarks a portion of the funds to be used to provide grants or loans to mixed-income rental projects or units for qualifying individuals and families. HB951 HD1
Supportive Housing Pilot Program; Office of Homelessness and Housing Solutions; Hawaii Public Housing Authority; Rental Housing Revolving Fund. Establishes a Supportive Housing Pilot Program to provide and maintain affordable and permanent housing and services for individuals and families in need. Requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to implement project-based rent supplement payments to project owners for units that are rented to eligible residents participating in the Pilot Program. Requires the Office of Homelessness and Housing Solutions to administer payments for supportive services that assist residents participating in the Pilot Program. Appropriates funds out of the Rental Housing Revolving Fund for the purposes of the Pilot Program. HB1397 HD1
HUMAN SERVICES
Children; Custody; Constitutional Rights; Legal Counsel. Requires that when a law enforcement officer has custody of a child under eighteen years of age for an alleged violation of law, the child shall have contact with legal counsel and, to the extent practicable, a parent, guardian, or legal custodian, before the child waives any right against self-incrimination and before any custodial interrogation. HB781 HD2
Department of Human Services; Homelessness; Return-to-Home Pilot Program. Establishes a three-year Return-to-Home Pilot Program to assist eligible homeless individuals with family reunification in the individual's home state. Appropriates funds for the implementation of the Pilot Program. HB1366 HD1
Hospital Sustainability Program; Hospital Sustainability Fee; Hospital Sustainability Program Special Fund; Medicaid. Preserves access to health care for Medicaid recipients and strengthens the Hospital Sustainability Program by amending the definition of "private hospital"; clarifying the uses of the Hospital Sustainability Program Special Fund; increasing various hospital sustainability fee caps; requiring the Department of Human Services to consult and negotiate with the Hospital Trade Association regarding fee participation and rates; and clarifying when the Hospital Sustainability Fee shall be discontinued and the distribution of remaining funds. Makes the Hospital Sustainability Program permanent and permanently exempts the Program from the central service and administrative expenses assessments. Appropriates funds out of the Hospital Sustainability Fee Special Fund for the purposes of the fund. HB1368 HD1
Medical Care Payments; Long-Term Supports and Services Payments; Provider Reimbursements; Payment Adjustments. Adjusts the method by which the Department of Human Services calculates payments to providers of medical care and long-term supports and services. Appropriates funds for any costs that may arise while the Department of Human Services establishes the updated payment rates. HB222 HD2
Public Housing Tenant Upward Mobility Pilot Program; Workforce Training; Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Establishes the Hawaii Public Housing Authority Public Housing Tenant Upward Mobility Pilot Program to provide public housing tenants with part-time, on-the-job paid training and work to gain knowledge and experience to fulfill the minimum qualifications needed for future part-time and full-time employment. Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority for the implementation of the Pilot Program. HB224 HD
JUDICIARY & HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS
Sexual Abuse; Minors; Civil Action; Statute of Limitations; Trauma-Informed Response (Rep. Poepoe Primary Introducer) Expands the time period by which a civil action for childhood sexual abuse may be initiated, including an otherwise time-barred action. Authorizes a court to require personnel of legal entities to undergo training on trauma-informed response. HB582 HD1
Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct; Campaign Contributions; Elected Officials; Legislative Sessions; Prohibition. Implements recommendations of the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct established pursuant to House Resolution No. 9, Regular Session of 2022, by prohibiting elected officials from soliciting and accepting campaign contributions during any regular session or special session of the Legislature, including any extension of any regular session or special session and any legislative recess day, holiday, or weekend. HB726
Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct; Public Records; Disclosure; Public Interest; Costs; Waiver; Appropriation. Implements recommendations of the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct established pursuant to House Resolution No. 9, Regular Session of 2022, by providing more equitable access to government records. Imposes a cap on charges for the reproduction of certain government records; waives the cost of duplication of government records provided to requestors in an electronic format; imposes a cap on charges for searching for, reviewing, and segregating records; provides for a waiver of fees when the public interest is served by a record's disclosure; and appropriates funds for positions in the Office of Information Practices. HB719 HD1
Data Collection; Police Stops; Arrests; Uses of Force; Report. Enhances the public's trust in law enforcement and standardizes best practices for the data collection of police stops, arrests, and use of force incidents between the counties in Hawaii by requiring each county police department to annually collect, report, and publicly publish certain data regarding police stops, arrests, uses of force, and trends. HB880 HD1
Firearms; Permits; Licenses; Enforcement; Prohibitions. Clarifies, revises, and updates Hawaii's firearms laws by prohibiting firearms in certain locations and premises and providing for enhanced sentencing; requiring possession and disclosure of a license to carry; prohibiting leaving an unsecured firearm in a vehicle unattended; prohibiting consuming or being under the influence of alcohol, an intoxicating liquor, or a controlled substance when carrying a firearm; prohibiting carrying or possessing firearms on certain private property open to the public without express authorization; requiring annual reports from the Department of the Attorney General on carry licenses; amending the requirements for, and revocation of, firearms permits and licenses; amending the disqualification of persons from owning, possessing, or controlling a firearm; expanding the qualified immunity for health care providers who provide information on firearms applicants to include physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses; and making permanent the physical inspection requirement for the registration of firearms that were not manufactured with serial numbers, also known as ghost guns, firearms transported into the State from another jurisdiction, and firearms obtained in private sales and transfers. HB984 HD2
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Appropriations Act of 2023; Budget. Appropriates funds for the operating budget of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, including beneficiary advocacy, and establishes position ceilings for each year of the fiscal biennium 2023-2025. HB133 HD1
LABOR & GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
Department of Human Resources Development; Online Employment Marketplace; Appropriation. Appropriates funds for the Department of Human Resources Development to retain the services of an online employment marketplace or networking platform to assist in recruiting employees for the State. HB413 HD1
Flavored Tobacco Products; Prohibition; Sale; Appropriation. Prohibits the sale of flavored tobacco products and the mislabeling of e-liquids as nicotine free. Authorizes the Department of Health to appoint, commission, or contract for services of inspectors. Establishes two program specialist positions to review, process, and initiate inspections and one hearings officer position to preside over administrative and other related hearings and appropriates funds for enforcement activities. HB551 HD1
Hawaii Teacher Apprenticeship Program; Special Fund; Established; Appropriation. Establishes and appropriates funds for the Hawaii Teacher Apprenticeship Program to support, recruit, develop, and retain teachers for Hawaii public schools. Establishes the Hawaii Teacher Apprenticeship Program Special Fund and appropriates funds to support the Program. HB875 HD1
Tax Credit; Child Care; Employer. Establishes a nonrefundable employer child care tax credit for employers who provide or sponsor approved child care. HB1203 HD2
Wages; Timely Payment; General Contractors; Subcontractors; Liability. Makes general contractors entering into or under contracts in the State for work on buildings, structures, or other private works liable for debt incurred by subcontractors for wages due to claimants for performance of labor in the contract between the general contractor and owner. HB167 HD2
LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT
Legislative Reference Bureau; Public Access Room; Educational Outreach and Engagement Program; Department of Education; University of Hawaii. Encourages civic engagement by requiring the Public Access Room of the Legislative Reference Bureau to establish and maintain an outreach and engagement program for primary, secondary, post-secondary, and community education. Requires the Department of Education and University of Hawaii to assign appropriate staff to coordinate with the Public Access Room with respect to the outreach and engagement program. Appropriates funds for a position within the Public Access Room. HB1192 HD1
Office of the Legislative Analyst. Clarifies the Office of the Legislative Analyst. HB32 HD1
TOURISM
Destination Management Agency; Hawaii Tourism Authority Repeal. Repeals the Hawaii Tourism Authority and transfers its powers, duties, and rights to a newly established Destination Management Agency, to be headed by a commission. Establishes the Tourism Special Fund and County Assistance Special Fund to receive allocations from Transient Accommodations Tax revenues. HB1375 HD3
Personal Care Products; Small Plastic Containers; Lodging Establishments; Prohibitions. Prohibits lodging establishments from providing personal care products in small plastic containers within sleeping room accommodations, any space within sleeping room accommodations, or bathrooms used by the public or guests. Establishes civil penalties for violating the prohibition. HB85 HD1
Time Share Plans; Primary and Secondary Plan Documents; Liens; Disclosure. Requires primary and secondary plan documents to be listed in the public disclosure statement of a time share plan. Clarifies when the disclosure of pertinent provisions of condominium project instruments must occur. Clarifies the manner in which the required disclosure of liens, title defects, or encumbrances on the titles of units may be made. Provides that a consultant's review of encumbrances may be waived upon certification from the developer that the time share interest is free and clear of blanket liens or certain other material encumbrances or, if that is not the case, identifies the blanket liens and other material encumbrances. Requires the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to include in the annual time share plan report to the Legislature information regarding developers' certifications. HB11 HD2
Time Sharing; Out-of-state Time Share Units; Zoning Requirements. Clarifies that a developer is responsible for ensuring that the use of time share units located outside of the State for time sharing purposes complies with zoning and land use laws and rules of the jurisdiction where the time share units are located but is not required to submit evidence of such compliance to register in Hawaii. HD12 HD1
Tourism Social Carrying Capacity Study; University of Hawaii; School of Travel Industry Management. Requires and appropriates funds for the School of Travel Industry Management of the University of Hawaii at Manoa to conduct a study to research and estimate the tourism social carrying capacity for the islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, and Molokai as perceived by residents and visitors. HB1233 HD2
TRANSPORTATION
Asphalt Recycling; Department of Transportation; Department of Health. Requires certain paving projects in the State that involve the removing of asphalt to recycle the planed asphalt, subject to certain conditions. Subjects violators of this requirement to an administrative fine. Requires the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Department of Health, to adopt rules regarding best practices for paving projects, asphalt processing, and asphalt disposal. Requires the Department of Health to designate asphalt storage sites or develop a centralized asphalt processing and storage facility. HB1406 HD1
Bicycles; Motorcycles; Mopeds; "Dead Red" Laws. Allows operators of bicycles, motorcycles, and mopeds to progress through a steady red signal of an intersection during specific hours if the traffic signal is unable to detect the size of composition of the bicycle, motorcycle, or moped. HB1319 HD1
Evidence of Registration; Certificate of Inspection; Department of Transportation. Requires the Department of Transportation to amend its administrative rules to repeal provisions requiring evidence of registration as a condition to receiving an inspection certificate. HB739 HD2
Mileage-Based Road Usage Charge; Electric Vehicles; Department of Transportation. Beginning July 1, 2025, creates a mileage-based road usage charge to replace state motor fuel taxes for electric vehicles. Allows electric vehicles the choice of paying a registration surcharge or a per-mile road usage charge until June 30, 2028. Amends certain motor vehicle registration applications and certificate of inspection requirements. Requires the Department of Transportation to develop a plan for the deployment of a state milage-based road use charge program for all passenger vehicles and light duty trucks by December 31, 2033. Requires the Department of Transportation to submit the plan to the Legislature before the Regular Session of 2026. Appropriates funds for the initial implementation of the mileage-based road usage charge. HB1110 HD2
Safe Routes to School; Advisory Committee; Department of Transportation. Establishes the Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee within the Planning Branch of the Highways Division of the Department of Transportation to develop a comprehensive statewide safe routes to school plan to advise the State on strategies that provide safe and secure alternatives for children to get to and from school. HB600 HD1
WATER & LAND
Sustainable Groundwater Yields; Model; University of Hawaii; Commission on Water Resource Management (Rep. Poepoe Primary Introducer). Requires the University of Hawaii, in consultation with the commission on water resource management, to develop a scope of work and cost analysis to complete a flexible groundwater model that proposes methods for determining the needs of traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices, climate change projections, and groundwater dependent ecosystems. HB905 HD1
Water Neutrality; Commission on Water Resource Management; Task Force; Plan; Appropriation (Rep. Poepoe Primary Introducer). Establishes the water neutrality task force to develop a plan for Hawaii to become water-neutral by the year 2050. Requires the task force to submit a report to the Legislature. HB1212 HD1
Limu Research; Commission on Water Resource Management; DLNR; UH; DOH; Appropriation (Rep. Poepoe Primary Introducer). Requires the commission on water resource management and division of aquatic resources of the department of land and natural resources, in partnership with the University of Hawaii and department of health, to conduct research on limu to understand the impacts of groundwater use on groundwater-dependent ecosystems. HB1405 HD1
Aquatic Nuisance Species; Department of Land and Natural Resources. Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules to prevent and respond to the introduction of aquatic nuisance species from discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel and increase potential penalties for violations of the aquatic nuisance species laws. Contemplates the relationship between the federal Vessel Incidental Discharge Act of 2018, as amended, and state law. HB755 HD1
Natural Resources; Climate Change; Appropriation. Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, as state matching funds to leverage any federal funds that may become available, to protect, manage, and restore natural resources, including native forests, native plants and animals, aquatic resources, coastal lands, and freshwater resources. HB952 HD1
Land Conservation Fund; Conveyance Tax Deposits. Amends the maximum amount of conveyance tax revenues to be deposited into the Land Conservation Fund. HB908 HD2
Recreational and Commercial Activity Permits, Licenses, and Reservations; Website; Department of Land and Natural Resources. Requires and appropriates funds for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop and publish a website that includes the application processes for each permit, license, or reservation needed to conduct recreational and commercial activities in the State that are regulated by or under the jurisdiction of the Department. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to convert existing application processes into a digital format to be used on the website. HB953 HD1
State Water Code; Commission on Water Resource Management; Penalties. Adds a minimum penalty of $50 and a maximum penalty of $25,000 per violation of the State Water Code and related rules and makes each day that a violation exists or continues a separate offense. Requires the Commission on Water Resource Management to determine the amount of the penalty based on the circumstances of the violation. Creates two full-time equivalent general professional positions within the Commission on Water Resource Management. HB153 HD1
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