Hawaii

Appropriates moneys to the Office of Veterans' Services to perform its statutory duties, including maintaining a center that provides information, counsel, aid, and assistance to veterans, their families, and their dependents; and cooperating with federal agencies responsible for the administration of rights and benefits granted to veterans, their families, and their dependents.

Establishes penalties for failure to remediate violations, including fines and, under certain circumstances, foreclosure on the real property.

Requires that all county sewer transmission lines on Hawaiian home lands in compliance or brought into compliance by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, are licensed or dedicated to the respective county within sixty days after the receipt by the appropriate county agency of a completed application for maintenance request.

Establishes a lithium-ion battery recycling working group within the Department of Health to assess recycling methods for small and medium format lithium-ion batteries. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Short form bill relating to military affairs.

Authorizes the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to enforce its own orders. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes the State's Hospital Price Transparency Act. Prohibits hospitals from taking certain debt collection actions against a patient if the hospital is not in compliance with hospital price transparency laws. Allows patients and patient guarantors to file suit against hospitals in violation. Requires hospitals to make public and post their Medicare reimbursement rates no later than 10/1/25 and deems violations as an unfair and deceptive act or practice. Requires the Department of Health to conduct performance assessments of hospitals for adherence to federal transparency rules annually and make a list of hospitals with poor performance available on its website no later than 2/1/2026. Requires the Department of Health to adopt rules.

Short form bill relating to economic development.

Clarifies requirements to establish a quorum to do business and validate acts of the Stadium Authority. (HD1)

Establishes a public trust purpose for the Commission on Water Resource Management. Allows the Commission on Water Resource Management to retain independent counsel. Repeals the First Deputy to the Chairperson of the Commission on Water Resource Management. Establishes the Executive Director of the Commission on Water Resource Management. Administratively attaches the Commission on Water Resource Management to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Authorizes members of the Commission on Water Resource Management to be eligible to serve as chairperson. Requires the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and Director of Health to serve as ex officio voting members ineligible to serve as chairperson. Authorizes entities to whom an emergency order is directed to challenge the order under certain conditions. Clarifies the notification requirements and contents of declarations of water shortages. Establishes fines. Makes conforming amendments. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Authorizes manufacturers and distributors to sell directly to consumers items activated or installed through remote electronic transmission. Clarifies the applicability of the Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Act to common entities. Amends the grounds for denying, suspending, revoking, or otherwise taking adverse action on a licensee. Prohibits a manufacturer or distributor from requiring a dealer to purchase or lease any electric vehicle charging station at the dealer's expenses unless provided notice of intent to sell the manufacturer's or distributor's electric vehicles. Clarifies the conditions for the transfer of a franchise. Clarifies the requirements for reimbursing a dealer for parts and labor.

Requires the State Fire Marshal to convene an electric vehicle fires working group to examine the impact of electric vehicle fires in residential, commercial, and business properties that have confined parking structures.

Clarifies the definition of "covered employer" under the Hawaii Retirement Savings Act. Requires covered employers to automatically enroll covered employees into the Hawaii Retirement Savings Program unless the covered employee chooses to opt out. Effective upon approval.

Prohibits the collection, sale, or disclosure of any driver data that is obtained by a motor vehicle or other connected car service, feature, or application to any third-party without the explicit consent of the owner or lessee of the vehicle. Designates exemptions. Requires any disclosure notification for any data collection to be clear and conspicuous. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Establishes a pilot program in the Department of Health to provide intensive mobile treatment-type services, e.g., "street psychiatry", to chronically houseless adult individuals suffering from serious brain disorders like schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Authorizes the Agribusiness Development Corporation to acquire by condemnation any real property or interest in real property, under certain conditions. Prohibits any real property acquired by the Corporation by condemnation from subsequently being transferred or taken for any other public use without the Corporation's consent. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Clarifies the applicability of the statute of repose for actions arising from construction defects. Clarifies the required contents of a notice of claim of construction defect served on a contractor. Amends the process and time frame for a claimant to accept a contractor's offer to settle or inspect and authorize the contractor to proceed with repairs. Limits the amount a claimant can recover if the claimant rejects a contractor's reasonable proposal for inspection or a reasonable offer to remedy. Clarifies the consequences of rejecting an offer of settlement. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Amends the definition of "beach restoration" to include activities undertaken to maintain and improve eroded beaches and degraded dune systems through the management of sand and native vegetation, place sand on an eroded beach, and remove abandoned remnant materials that pose a risk to public and ecosystem health. Appropriates funds for a Kahana Bay beach restoration pilot project and a sand restoration and dune replenishment pilot project on the island of Maui. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes clear criteria for unpaid student internship programs under the state wage laws.

Requires the Department of Education to assign school resource officers to department public schools and charter schools. Encourages the employment of qualified retirees from the local police departments and department of law enforcement. Appropriates funds for these positions.

Prohibits hospitals and medical facilities from using mechanical, chemical, or physical restraints or seclusion on minors and vulnerable adult patients, except when necessary.

Establishes a civil cause of action that may be brought by any person, other than an officer or employee of the State or employee of a local governmental entity in the State, for certain violations or aiding or abetting certain violations of the Fireworks Control Law.

Clarifies that the prohibition against board and commission holdover members from holding office beyond the end of the second regular legislative session following the expiration of the member's term of office takes precedence over any conflicting statutes.

Permanently increases the state earned income tax credit to fifty per cent of the federal earned income tax credit. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024.