Requires the Food and Product Innovation Network to integrate a coordinated food safety and regulatory framework. Requires the Agribusiness Development Corporation to establish key performance indicators for the Food and Product Innovation Network, develop a market access strategy, align and harmonize state branding initiatives, and report certain data to the Legislature. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to evaluate or adapt enterprise zone incentives in all counties to better support the Food and Product Innovation Network. Appropriates funds. (CD1)
Amends the Motion Picture, Digital Media, and Film Production Income Tax Credit (tax credit) by, beginning for costs incurred after 12/31/2025, providing an additional credit to qualified productions with a workforce of at least eighty percent local hires; requiring each taxpayer claiming the tax credit to submit an independent third-party certification verifying certain information to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; increasing the per-production cap amount to $20,000,000 and excluding qualified productions that incur at least $60,000,000 of qualified production costs from the per-production cap amount; changing the aggregate cap amount to $60,000,000; providing that, beginning for costs incurred after 12/31/2023, if the total amount of tax credits claimed in a year is less than the aggregate cap amount, the cap for the subsequent year shall be increased by the unclaimed amount; defining "streaming platform" and amending the definition of "qualified production" to include certain streaming productions; and extending the sunset date of the tax credit to 1/1/2038. Exempts from the general excise tax certain amounts received by a motion picture project employer from a client company that represent reimbursements for costs paid or incurred by the client company for reasonable employment-related costs of motion picture project workers or loan-out companies. (CD1)
Requires the Office of Wellness and Resilience, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to develop a comprehensive plan by 6/30/2027 for the establishment of a Kakou Pilot Program to support families and children in need. Requires the Office to submit preliminary and final reports to the Legislature on the plan and identify an administering agency or agencies for the pilot program. Beginning 7/1/2028, authorizes the Department of Human Services to expend Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program funds for the purposes of the Kakou Pilot Program. (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)
Requires electronic smoking device and e-liquid manufacturers to certify to the Department of the Attorney General annually that the manufacturer received a Marketing Granted Order from the federal Food and Drug Administration and that the manufacturer is in compliance with federal regulations and state laws. Requires the Department to compile and make public a directory of all electronic smoking device and e-liquid manufacturers and products duly certified. Establishes penalties for manufacturers that fail to comply with the certification requirements and for other parties that acquire, possess, transport, keep, sell, or offer for sale products that are not in the directory. (SD1)
Beginning 1/1/2027, requires all health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations in the State, including Medicaid managed care programs, to cover the cost of continuous glucose monitors and related supplies under certain conditions. Allows the Department of Health and Department of Human Services to accept and expend funds from public and private sources to support the expansion of access to continuous glucose monitors. (CD1)
This bill clarifies that individuals arrested for or charged with a crime but later convicted only of a violation are eligible to have their arrest records expunged. It amends state statutes to explicitly define a violation as an offense that is not a crime, ensuring these individuals can remove arrest records that might otherwise hinder their housing or employment opportunities. The law also outlines specific conditions under which expungement orders cannot be issued, such as when a conviction was not obtained due to bail forfeiture or if the person was involuntarily hospitalized. Additionally, eligible individuals may request the return of fingerprints and photographs taken during their arrest, provided they do not have a criminal conviction record or are fugitives.
This bill informs the Hawaii Legislature that Governor Josh Green signed Act 153 into law on June 25, 2026. The act modifies how family courts decide whether to transfer minors aged 14 or older to adult criminal court by updating the specific factors judges must consider during the process. It also mandates that family courts retain jurisdiction over a minor if clear evidence shows the child was trafficked, sexually abused, or raped by the alleged victim before or during the crime. Additionally, the law ensures that family courts keep authority over these minors for any future offenses that would normally fall under their jurisdiction.
This bill is a procedural document that formally notifies the Hawaii Legislature that Governor Josh Green signed HB1661 into law on June 25, 2026. The underlying law, Act 144, amends state statutes to allow chief executives to establish cafeteria plans for their employees, enabling them to reduce pretax compensation to pay for eligible benefits. The bill specifies that the maximum contribution limits for these plans must align with federal and state tax regulations and takes effect on July 1, 2027.
This bill directs the Director of Finance to move approximately $47.2 million from various state special funds into the general fund for fiscal year 2026-2027. The transfer includes balances from diverse areas such as tobacco enforcement, mental health services, and tax administration that exceed their specific annual requirements. The legislation aims to create a financial reserve to help the state maintain essential services if federal funding decreases or economic conditions worsen. It explicitly states that these transfers must not harm the state's ability to receive federal aid or meet existing contracts and bond obligations.
This bill, signed into law by Governor Josh Green on June 25, 2026, implements recommendations from an advisory committee to revise the Hawaii Penal Code. The legislation primarily affects the state's criminal justice system by updating how crimes are classified and establishing specific time limits for filing prosecutions. Key changes include defining felonies based on potential prison sentences exceeding one year and setting new statutes of limitations, such as a ten-year window for manslaughter cases and a three-year window for most other felonies. These adjustments aim to ensure consistency, proportionality, and alignment with evidence-based strategies in sentencing and legal proceedings.
This bill extends the sunset date for Hawaii's habitual violent crime law, originally set to expire in 2027, to June 30, 2031. It requires the attorney general to submit annual reports to the legislature starting in 2027, detailing statistics on arrests, charges, and case outcomes for repeat violent offenders without revealing personal information. Additionally, the bill mandates a one-time comprehensive evaluation by the Criminal Justice Research Institute by 2031 to assess the law's effectiveness in reducing violent crime before it is allowed to expire. These changes ensure that policymakers have sufficient data to determine whether the enhanced penalties for repeat offenders should be made permanent or adjusted.
