Hawaii

Adjusts and requests appropriations for fiscal biennium 20252027 funding requirements for operations and capital improvement projects of Executive Branch agencies and programs. (CD1)

Establishes a Language Access Education and Workforce Development Program at the University of Hawaii. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Limits the independent audit requirement under the State's Deposit Beverage Container Program to deposit beverage distributors who distribute 5 million or more deposit beverage containers a year. Identifies frequency of obtaining and submitting independent audits based on quantities of deposit beverage containers distributed. Defines "distribute" to include the manufacture, import, and sale of deposit beverage containers. Creates minimum requirements for independent audits. (CD1)

Conforms Hawaii income and estate and generation-skipping transfer tax laws to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended as of December 31, 2025. (CD1)

Establishes a three-year pilot program in the County of Kauai and County of Hawaii to allow qualified psychologists under the supervision of a supervising physician or psychiatrist limited authority to prescribe certain psychotropic medications to patients between the ages of 18 and 65 years under the care of the psychologist. Requires the Board of Psychology to adopt rules. Requires the State Health Planning and Development Agency to report to the Legislature. (CD1)

Requires certain social media platforms to provide an accessible mechanism for users to delete their accounts on the platform and permanently erase all personal information and sensitive personal information associated with deleted accounts. Prohibits certain deceptive practices by social media platforms that obstruct the deletion of user accounts. Authorizes the Attorney General to pursue civil actions and seek injunctive relief and penalties for violations. Effective 7/1/2027. (CD2)

Requires the Department of Human Services to adjust the minimum certification periods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits households, participate in the Elderly Simplified Application Project, and report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2028. (CD1)

Requires the Office of Wellness and Resilience to develop, implement, and administer a Medical Debt Acquisition and Forgiveness Program to acquire and forgive outstanding medical debt for residents of the State, subject to the availability of program funds. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Increases the expenditure limit and the amount of partial public campaign financing available for all elective offices. Adjusts the minimum amount of qualifying contributions certain candidates must receive to participate in the program. Increases the matching fund payments for excess qualifying contributions. Appropriates funds for the program. Effective 11/4/2026. (CD1)

Specifies the types of cases in which evidence must be retained post-conviction and the process by which evidence may be disposed of earlier than the standard period of retention, which includes a procedure for defendants to oppose the disposal of biological evidence by filing an objection with the court. Authorizes the court, upon motion of a defendant or prosecutor or on the court's own motion, to order the retention of biological evidence in any felony case for a certain period under certain circumstances. Effective 9/1/2026. (CD1)

Requires the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to plan and serve in a coordinating role to develop shoreline adaptation pathways plans for regional shoreline mitigation districts designated by OPSD. Establishes procedures for the review of state and county permits associated with regional shoreline mitigation districts. (CD2)

Authorizes the use of the University of Hawaii Tuition and Fees Special Fund to conduct donor evaluations. Requires the related report to the Legislature to include any donor evaluations conducted using moneys from the fund. (CD1)

Allows the use of certain monofilament netting for the protection of plants against invasive species. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish rules allowing the sale and distribution of fine mesh nets, including monofilament netting, in the State to protect plants from the coconut rhinoceros beetle. (CD1)

Prohibits passenger or cargo ropeways in all land use districts, with an exemption for government entities subject to legislative approval. (CD1)

Declares that the State is an ocean cluster. Establishes the Office of Marine Affairs and Marine Affairs Governing Board within the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation. Establishes the Marine Affairs Coordinator position. Repeals the powers and duties of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism over marine affairs. Transfers the employees and functions of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Marine Affairs to the Office of Marine Affairs. (CD1)

Designates the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the State of Hawaii Symphony Orchestra. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Exempts state funds received by the State of Hawaii Symphony Orchestra from chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes. (SD1)

Until 12/31/2031, specifies that captive insurance companies that are not risk retention captive insurance companies are subject to examination no later than five years after licensure and any additional examination at the discretion of the Insurance Commissioner. On or after 1/1/2032, subjects captive insurance companies that are not risk retention captive insurance companies to examination at least once every five years. Requires the Insurance Commissioner to submit a report to the Legislature before the Regular Session of 2031. Effective 7/1/2026. (CD1)

Authorizes deaf motor vehicle owners to register their vehicle as being owned by a deaf individual so that a deafness designation appears when a law enforcement officer accesses the motor vehicle's information. Effective 1/1/2027. (CD1)

Requires the Department of Education to include the instruction of braille and provision of braille instructional materials under certain circumstances; provide braille literacy support services; cooperate with the Department of Human Services when requested to submit information necessary to maintain a register of the blind in the State; provide comprehensive information about braille literacy services, assistive technology devices, and assistive technology services, including educational programming options; and participate in the development of section 504 plans and individualized education programs. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Prohibits entities from distributing unsolicited mail or electronic mail that employs high pressure tactics or is reasonably likely to cause a consumer to believe that the sender is affiliated with another entity that the sender is not actually affiliated with and the entity is asking the recipient to pay for goods, services, or forms of legal authorization, including but not limited to vehicle warranties, service contracts, home warranties, and government-issued licenses or registrations, unless certain disclosures are met. Makes contracts that fail to meet disclosure requirements voidable at the option of the consumer. (CD1)

Applies a definition of "development" to special management areas within counties with a population between one hundred fifty thousand and two hundred thousand to exempt from special management area use permit requirements all activities that are not included within the definition, including certain federal-, state-, or county-funded, authorized, or implemented infrastructure and improvement projects that are exempt from an environmental assessment or for which a finding of no significant impact has been issued. Sunsets 6/30/2030. (CD2)

Establishes a five-year Office of the State Construction Manager Pilot Program to provide guidance and recommendations on the design review of certain state construction projects that are administered by the Department of Accounting and General Services or Department of Education and located in any county with a population of less than 500,000. Requires the Office to assign employees to the Department of Public Works of each applicable county to review and approve permit applications under the Pilot Program. Establishes the Design Review Special Fund. Appropriates funds for the Pilot Program and necessary positions. (CD1)

Establishes a two-year Family Resilience Pilot Program within the Office of Wellness and Resilience. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds to be expended by the Department of Human Services for the pilot program. Sunsets 6/30/2028. (CD1)

Authorizes cash transactions to be rounded up or down to the nearest five cents, except for cash transactions that total $0.01 or $0.02, which are to be rounded up to $0.05. Exempts transactions in which payment is made by demand or negotiable instrument, electronic fund transfer, check, gift card, money order, credit card, or other like instrument or method. Effective 7/1/2026. (CD1)

Establishes an Axis Deer Meat Donation Pilot Program to exempt the donation of axis deer meat to a charitable, religious, or nonprofit organization for the purpose of feeding needy individuals from certain laws regarding the inspection and transportation of axis deer meat, carcasses, and meat products, subject to certain requirements. Requires reports to the Legislature. Sunsets 6/30/2033. (CD2)