Establishes the Kupaa Retention Bonus Program to be administered by the Department of Law Enforcement to provide $15,000 retention bonuses to eligible sworn law enforcement officers that have worked a minimum of two thousand hours during the preceding fiscal year, subject to collective bargaining negotiations. Requires the Department of Law Enforcement to report to the Legislature on the effectiveness of the Kupaa Retention Bonus Program. Appropriates funds for the Kupaa Retention Bonus Program. Sunsets 6/30/2028. (SD1)
Amends the Healthcare Preceptor Tax Credit to remove language limiting access only to those practicing in primary care, to add licensed dietitians, physician assistants, and social workers as eligible preceptors and students, and to include residency and followship programs. Adds the Director of Health and a representative of residency programs with eligible students to the Preceptor Credit Assurance Committee. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Requires each purchasing agency to provide justification for hiring external consultants. Requires each agency to seek approval from the Legislature for consulting contracts exceeding a certain dollar amount. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Requires the Compliance Audit Unit within the Office of the Auditor to conduct regular audits of agency consultant contracts to assess cost-effectiveness and compliance. Establishes exceptions. Requires each chief procurement officer to ensure that inherent government functions are not delegated to a contractor. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD2)
SB 2362 would eliminate a specific tax deduction for real estate investment trusts (REITs), requiring them to pay taxes on dividends they distribute to shareholders instead of deducting those payments. This change directly affects REITs, which are companies that own and operate real estate properties and typically rely on this deduction to reduce taxable income. The key provision removes the "dividends paid deduction" from the tax code, meaning REITs would no longer be able to subtract their dividend payments from their taxable earnings. This policy change would increase the tax burden on REITs without altering their operational structure.
Requires the Department of Education to implement financial literacy instruction into existing courses in public high schools that have sufficient overlap with financial literacy program standards beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. Requires the Board of Education to provide professional development to teachers. Authorizes the Board of Education to adopt rules. Appropriates funds. (SD1)
Establishes the Affordable Housing Land Inventory Task Force within the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to conduct a study, subject to legislative appropriation, on how to maximize housing development in transit-oriented development zones or other areas on state or county lands. Requires a report to the Legislature. Establishes a position. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to award monthly rent supplement payments on behalf of qualified tenants under the State Rent Supplement Program prioritizing certain tenants, including kupuna. Authorizes the HPHA to enter into memoranda of agreement for rental supplement payments with the counties or specialized nonprofit organizations. Amends provisions relating to the State Rent Supplement Program. Establishes the State Rent Supplement Program Special Fund. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to assess a transaction tax for each applicable recording in the Office of the Assistant Registrar of the Land Court or the Bureau of Conveyances to be deposited into the State Rent Supplement Program Special Fund. Repeals the existing separate State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna. Establishes four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist II positions and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist IV position within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
SB 2451 eliminates the home mortgage interest deduction for second homes under Hawaii's income tax law. This change directly affects Hawaii taxpayers who own second homes and currently claim this tax break on their mortgage interest. The bill removes this specific deduction from the state tax code, meaning owners of secondary properties will no longer receive a tax benefit for mortgage interest paid on those homes. It also requires the state to submit regular reports to the Legislature about the bill's implementation and effects.
SB 3176 appropriates state funds to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA) specifically for rehabilitating, remodeling, renovating, and repairing existing public housing units. The bill directly affects HPHA and the residents living in these publicly managed housing properties by enabling physical upgrades to their homes. Key provisions include allocating money for structural repairs, modernizing facilities, and improving living conditions within the current public housing stock, without creating new housing units or changing eligibility rules. This is a funding measure focused on maintaining and enhancing existing affordable housing infrastructure.
Removes the $600,000 annual expenditure ceiling on the Automated Victim Information and Notification System Special Fund to address rising program costs and growing victim service demands. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
