Hawaii

Establishes a state-owned bank implementation board within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to determine the need for, potential costs and benefits of, and prerequisites to establishing a state-owned bank. Requires a report to the legislature.

Defines and prohibits the offense of torture.

Grants twenty-year licenses for casinos in the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District and Hawaii Convention Center. Establishes the Hawaii Gaming Control Commission. Imposes fifteen per cent wagering tax on gross receipts. Establishes the State Gaming Fund and Compulsive Gambler Program. Appropriates funds. (SD1)

Repeals the sunset provision in Act 45, SLH 2024, related to the counties' authorization to develop, construct, finance, refinance, or otherwise provide mixed-use developments.

Exempts the tax collected on the sale of groceries that are eligible under the supplemental nutrition assistance program or special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, regardless of the means of purchase and the program eligibility of the purchaser.

Makes it an unfair or deceptive act or practice for businesses to: offer, display, or advertise the price of live-ticket events or short-term lodging without clearly and conspicuously disclosing the total price; and misrepresent any fees or charges in any offer, display, or advertisement for the sale of live-event tickets or short-term lodging. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Requires the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to collect data and submit to the Legislature a report focused on the health disparities experienced by individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities in the State prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027. Appropriates funds.

Prohibits non-compete and non-solicit clauses in employment contracts for employees of restaurants and retail stores. Effective retroactive to 7/1/2015.

Establishes a standard of state waters within three thousand feet seaward of the base line of the territorial sea as ocean recreation management areas. Prohibits commercial activity in ocean recreation management areas, except by a commercial use permit.

Establishes and appropriates moneys for a return-to-home program within the Department of Human Services to provide travel expenses and relocation assistance for eligible persons who wish to return to their home states. Requires the Department to develop and implement a public information campaign related to the State's residency requirements and return-to-home program.

Clarifies that a partner or member that is a partnership or limited liability company that has been allocated a low-income housing tax credit may either further allocate the credit or transfer, sell, or assign all or a portion of the credit to any person. Extends the sunset date of Act 129, SLH 2016, relating to the low-income housing tax credit, from 12/31/2027 to 12/31/2032. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Provides the Governor with discretion to not fill a vacant legislative position if the vacancy occurs one hundred twenty days or less from an upcoming primary election until after the results of the primary election are certified.

Requires the State's youth and adult correctional facilities to provide free and accessible voice communication services for incarcerated persons in state correctional facilities. Prohibits any state agency from deriving revenue or financial benefit from the provision of communication services to persons confined in state correctional facilities. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish service quality standards and rules for the free voice communication services. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Mandates state agencies to prioritize purchasing from local vendors whenever feasible. Allows state agencies to split contracts across multiple local vendors to enhance participation and competitiveness. Specifies when contracts may be awarded to multiple vendors.

For purposes of the state ethics laws, subjects legislators to all ethics laws applicable to employees by including legislators within the definition of "employees". Repeals references to legislators under the state ethics laws made redundant by the inclusion.

Establishes the Hawaii Economic Diversification Grant Program under the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to provide grants to qualified high technology businesses engaging in qualified research activities. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Exempts transfers of Hawaiian home lands from transfer restrictions for real property under Chapter 201H housing development programs.

Authorizes the Hawaii State Energy Office to establish a publicprivate partnership to develop a waste-to-energy generating facility in each county having a population below 800,000. (SD1)

Expands the types of employees protected by the Hawaii Employment Relations Act to include independent contractors and all individuals subject to the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Act.

Authorizes the Judiciary to determine the format of the juror qualification form and the means of its delivery and return. Authorizes the Judiciary to use more than one method of delivery and attempt to contact any one juror more than once. Removes the requirement that the form be mailed. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)

Establishes the Kupuna Home Equity Conversion Mortgage Program under the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

Prohibits landlords from terminating certain tenancies without cause. Establishes criteria under which landlords can undertake a no-fault eviction. Requires landlords, when proceeding with a no-fault eviction, to offer relocation assistance to the tenant or waiver of the final month's rent. Effective 1/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to prioritize funding for certain Hawaii-based businesses. Appropriates funds to assist in the development and promotion of Hawaii-manufactured products through the INNOVATE Hawaii program. Requires reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Part II: Requires certain priority level 1 cesspools to be upgraded, converted, or connected before 1/1/2035, and priority level 2 cesspools to be upgraded, converted, or connected before 1/1/2040, rather than before 1/1/2050. Part III: Appropriates funds to the Department of Health to implement the Cesspool Compliance Pilot Grant Project established pursuant to Act 153, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022. Part IV: Establishes an income tax credit for the cost of upgrading or converting a qualified cesspool to a Director of Health-approved wastewater system or connecting to a sewerage system, and requires the Auditor to periodically review the tax credit.