Allows a retirant to be employed without reenrollment in the Employees' Retirement System and without loss or interruption of retirement benefits if the retirant is employed as a school resource officer identified by the Department of Law Enforcement or other law enforcement agency as a labor shortage or difficult-to-fill position and stationed at a public school, subject to certain conditions. Establishes criteria for various agencies to use in identifying labor shortage or difficult-to-fill positions. Requires the director of human resources of the appropriate state jurisdiction or the human resources management chief executive of each county to include in their annual reports to the Legislature, details on the employment of retirants as school resource officers. (CD1)
HB 2152 clarifies that dog owners are legally liable when their dogs attack livestock, such as cattle or sheep. It directly affects dog owners and livestock farmers by establishing clearer legal responsibility for such incidents. The bill increases penalties for owners whose dogs cause harm to livestock and strengthens enforcement mechanisms to hold them accountable. This changes current liability rules by making owner negligence more punishable through specific fines or other sanctions.
Adjusts the applicability of Act 134, SLH 2025, to clarify the threshold for Department of Education procurement of local edible produce and packaged food products. Prohibits the artificial division and parceling of DOE procurements of local edible produce and packaged food products. Sunsets 6/30/2028. (CD1)
HB 1815 applies the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts' existing grant standards to its Performing Arts Grants Program. This means organizations receiving performing arts funding must now follow the same rules as other grant recipients under the Foundation. The bill directly affects nonprofit arts groups and cultural organizations that apply for these specific grants. It has been recommended for passage by the committee with amendments, but no substantive policy changes beyond standardizing current procedures are introduced. The bill takes effect July 1, 3000 (as stated in the abstract).
Increases the expenditure ceiling and appropriates funds out of the State Risk Management Revolving Fund to distribute property and liability insurance proceeds related to the 2023 Maui wildfires to be expended by the School Facilities Authority, Department of Transportation, and Department of Land and Natural Resources to rebuild and restore certain state facilities in Lahaina. Requires the Department of Accounting and General Services to submit to the Legislature a master coordinated project plan developed in collaboration with certain state agencies and in consultation with the County of Maui and other relevant entities. Requires the Department of Education to transfer exclusive site control over the new King Kamehameha III Elementary School property to the SFA while the School is under construction. Requires DAGS to transfer to the SFA any materials deemed necessary for the construction of the School and to provide further support as necessary upon request. Requires the SFA to submit monthly progress reports to the Governor and Legislature. Allows the Governor to transfer certain authorities and responsibilities from the SFA to another state agency under certain conditions. Requires full funding for the projects for which funds are appropriated to be available before expenditure. (CD1)
Requires the University of Hawaii System to develop, implement, and maintain a publicly accessible, systemwide online dashboard. Requires the dashboard to include and maintain relevant information needed for students and their families for academic decision-making. Requires a preliminary report on 12/1/2026. Requires annual reports to the Legislature beginning 12/1/2027. Requires a supplementary report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2031. Sunsets 6/30/31. (CD1)
Part I: Clarifies that class 10 special licenses may be granted for a period not to exceed three days per application. In counties with fewer than two hundred thousand residents but more than one hundred thousand residents, amends application requirements for class 10 special licenses, including requirements related to electronic submission, naming, and single applications for certain adjacent parcels of land, and prohibits the conditional acceptance of applications based on certain factors. Part II: Increases the maximum percentage of fines assessed by county liquor commissions that may be used to fund public liquor-related educational or enforcement programs. (CD1)
This bill, signed into law as Act 095, expands Hawaii's existing traffic safety rules to protect drivers and passengers stranded near disabled vehicles. It requires motorists approaching a stationary vehicle displaying warning signals, such as hazard lights or cones, to slow down and change lanes if it is safe to do so. The law also clarifies that violating this requirement is a traffic offense, but if an accident occurs resulting in death or injury, the driver faces more serious criminal charges like negligent homicide. Additionally, the bill prohibits people from riding in the open bed of a pickup truck unless there is no seating in the cab and specific safety conditions are met, with exceptions for emergency services and agricultural transport.
This bill strengthens Island Burial Councils in Hawaii by addressing issues that have previously hindered their ability to protect Native Hawaiian ancestral remains. It achieves this by extending the time allowed to fill vacancies, providing per diem stipends to council members to improve recruitment and retention, and adjusting the quorum requirement so that a majority of appointed members can conduct business as long as at least three members are present. These changes aim to ensure that lineal and cultural descendants have a more meaningful voice in decisions regarding burial sites, particularly on less populated islands where councils often struggle to meet attendance requirements.
This bill, signed into law as Act 089, updates Hawaii statutes to protect individuals alleging domestic abuse from being forced into mediation during family court cases. It applies to parentage, divorce, and child custody proceedings, ensuring that courts cannot require a victim to attend mediation against their wishes. Under the new rules, mediation can only proceed if the alleged victim explicitly agrees and if a specially trained mediator is used to ensure their safety. Additionally, mediators must screen for domestic abuse and cannot conduct sessions if abuse is suspected unless these safety conditions are met. The law also allows parties to bring an attorney or advocate to mediation sessions to support the alleged victim.
This bill allows small condominium associations in Hawaii with fewer than twenty units and buildings no more than two stories to skip mandatory third-party reserve study reviews for a single three-year period. To qualify for this waiver, the association must vote in favor of skipping the review, keep a record of the decision, and continue providing annual financial information to owners. The law also prevents these small associations from waiving the requirement for two consecutive three-year periods to ensure long-term financial oversight. While the exemption applies to the external review, the bill maintains existing rules requiring associations to prepare and disclose their own reserve budgets and financial details.
This bill requires Hawaii counties to publish building and civil engineering permit data on their websites in a standardized, machine-readable format to improve transparency and help address the state's housing shortage. Counties must update this data at least once a month and include specific details such as permit numbers, application and completion dates, property addresses, and whether the project is residential or non-residential. The law also mandates the creation of a statewide data standard in collaboration with state agencies to ensure that information from different counties can be easily compared and analyzed. By making this data accessible and consistent, the bill aims to reduce administrative burdens and support better tracking of permitting performance across the state.
