Hawaii

Permanently establishes and appropriates funds for the Community Outreach Court as a division of the District Court of the First Circuit. Effective 4/23/2057. (HD1)

Establishes an expedited procedure to remove persons from a property who are not tenants or former tenants. Establishes criminal offenses for persons who illegally occupy and damage property, for making a false statement to detain real property, and for fraudulent sale or lease of residential real property.

Requires each public high school in the State to require students to complete and pass 2 full years of Hawaiian language courses as a condition of graduation.

Restores the revenue bond authorization for the Department of Transportation to issue Highway Revenue Bonds for highway capital improvement projects authorized in Act 164, SLH 2023, as amended by Act 230, SLH 2024. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Increases the rate of compensation and maximum allowable amounts per case for court-appointed counsel in criminal proceedings. Appropriates funds. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for the purchase of the real property located at 64-486 Kamehameha Highway on the North Shore of Oahu. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Adds the promotion of emergency management and critical infrastructure protection as relevant purposes of the Energy Data Collection Program. Adds the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security to the list of agencies that may examine the energy industry information statements submitted pursuant to section 486J-3, HRS. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Proposing An Amendment To The Hawaii Constitution. Short form bill.

Updates the name of the Neighbor Islands Blind and Visually Impaired Service Pilot Program by replacing the term "visually impaired" with the term "low vision". Clarifies the pilot program's implementation timeframes. Sunsets 6/30/2029. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services to provide health insurance through Medicaid's Children's Health Insurance Program to income-qualified children and pregnant persons regardless of their immigration status.

Repeals the one-to-one syringe limit for the needle exchange program. Authorizes the Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Program to provide needs-based distribution. Authorizes non-injection drug user participation in the Program. Modifies liability for exchange program participants, staff, and law enforcement officers.

Beginning 1/1/2028, prohibits the manufacture, sale, offer for sale, distribution for sale, and distribution for use of any food packaging, food service ware, cosmetic, or personal care product that contains intentionally added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, with certain exceptions. (SD1)

Specifies that the penalty for sex trafficking shall be payment of a fine of no less than $50,000 but no more than $100,000, and a definite term of imprisonment of up to 20 years without the possibility of a suspended sentence, probation, or parole. Provides that consent to sexual conduct is not a defense. Defines "sexual conduct". Provides that a minor who reports that the minor is a victim of sex trafficking shall not be subject to criminal liability.

Requires the Judiciary to contract for legal services for residential tenants in actions or proceedings for possession under certain circumstances. Authorizes attorneys, paralegals, and law students to provide legal services to residential tenants. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

For taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025, establishes a 5-year aquaculture investment tax credit for taxpayers that incur qualifying investment costs relating to qualified aquaculture businesses. Takes effect 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Requires a manufacturer of model year 2022 or later motor vehicles that utilize telematics systems to equip the vehicles with an inter-operable, standardized, and open-access platform across all of the manufacturer's makes and models. Requires the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to establish a motor vehicle telematics system notice. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Expands the powers of the Hawaii Property Insurance Association and Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund to help to stabilize the property insurance market in the State. Requires the Insurance Commissioner to conduct a study. Appropriates moneys.

Establishes the rounding up for teachers' salaries special fund, to be administered by the Department of Education. Requires electric utilities and county boards of water supply to provide an option for customers to voluntarily round up their bill to the nearest dollar or provide a specific contribution amount. Deposits the proceeds into the rounding up for teachers' salaries special fund. Appropriates moneys.

Prohibits the construction, modification, or expansion of waste or disposal facilities that are near or above a significant aquifer. Allows counties to apply for exemptions to state siting standards if they meet certain criteria.

Prohibits state or county grantees, officers and immediate family members of state or county contractors, and officers and immediate family members of state or county grantees, from contributing to candidate committees and noncandidate committees for the duration of the contract. Prohibits state or county grantees from knowingly soliciting any contributions. Requires candidates, candidate committees, and noncandidate committees to return any unlawful contribution to the contributor within thirty calendar days of receipt. Provides that an unlawful contribution shall escheat to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund if it is not returned to the contributor within thirty calendar days. Requires disclosures of the names of any owners, officers and immediate family members of a state or county contractor or grantee for contracts exceeding a certain amount. (SD1)

Amends the environmental response, energy, and food security tax to address carbon emissions. Incrementally increases the tax rate over time. Establishes a refundable tax credit to mitigate the effect of a carbon emissions tax on lower-income taxpayers. Establishes and appropriates moneys into the carbon emissions tax and dividend special fund. Reenacts the agricultural development and food security special fund. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Proposes to amend the state constitution to:(1) require the election of state justices and judges, as provided by law; authorize the governor and chief justice to make interim appointments for vacancies in the offices of the chief justice, supreme court, intermediate appellate court, and circuit courts, or district courts, respectively; and (3) repeal provisions pertaining to the judicial selection commission.

Restricts how much and how often a landlord may increase rent over the course of a twelve month period.

Mandates courts to impose an enhanced sentence for theft and burglary offenses over a certain property value threshold. Increases penalties for habitual property crime perpetrators. Targets fencing operations and imposes enhanced sentencing to those who knowingly receive stolen property or resell such property.