Authorizes an attending physician to request a functional capacity examination and refer an injured employee for the examination without first obtaining permission from the employee's employer in order to assess the employee's ability to return to work. Allows licensed occupational and physical therapists to be deemed qualified to perform functional capacity examinations. (CD1)
Repeals the authorization of a physician to transmit a treatment plan by mail or facsimile and the requirement that the physician submit the plan to an address or facsimile number provided by the employer. Requires an employer to file a response, either accepting or objecting to a treatment plan, within ten days of receipt. Imposes a monetary penalty if an employer does not file a response within the ten-day period, unless there was good cause for the delay. Clarifies that a treatment plan is deemed accepted if an employer fails to file certain documents within the ten-day period. Imposes penalties on employers found to have improperly denied a treatment plan. (CD1)
Clarifies the Ninety-Nine Year Leasehold Program by: (1) allowing the Hawaii Community Development Authority to prohibit renting, advertising for rent, or using for any other purpose other than owner-occupied residential use a residential condominium unit, by rule, rather than statutorily; (2) exempting the design, development, and construction contracts from procurement requirements, subject to prevailing wage requirements for laborers and mechanics; (3) requiring HCDA to adopt rules to implement an initial sales period during which residential condominium units are offered only to eligible buyers for owner-occupied residential use; (4) authorizing the sale of a residential condominium unit that is not subject to an income restriction and was not sold within a certain period to be sold to other buyers, as determined by rule by HCDA, without an owner-occupancy requirement; (5) requiring HCDA to adopt rules that require at least sixty per cent of residential condominium units to be income restricted; and (6) requiring HCDA to establish rules to require buyback pricing similar to other state agencies' existing pricing formulas. (CD1)
Repeals the sunset provisions of Act 236, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024, thereby making permanent the requirement that the Department of Transportation ensure that the securing of mooring lines from vessels to commercial docks, wharves, piers, quays, and landings be performed by labor subject to collective bargaining. (CD1)
SB 2876 would exempt natural hair braiders from state licensing requirements when they meet specific conditions. This bill directly affects individuals who practice natural hair braiding as a profession, removing a mandatory licensing barrier they currently face. The key provision eliminates the need for a state license for braiders operating under defined circumstances outlined in the bill. The policy change focuses on simplifying regulatory requirements for this specific service.
Clarifies the process for selecting a certified provider of vocational rehabilitation services. Requires certified providers to automatically approve vocational rehabilitation services for an injured employee if those services will likely be required for suitable gainful employment and the initial evaluation report finds the injured employee feasible to participate. Requires providers to file an employee's vocational rehabilitation plan no later than one hundred twenty days after submitting an initial evaluation report, unless extended by the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations. Clarifies the process for an employer to object to a vocational rehabilitation plan. (CD1)
Repeals the requirement that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations regulate hoisting machines and certify their operators and the Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board, including its rules requiring a separate state crane operator certificate. Allows additional time for the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations to complete an investigation of a discharge or discrimination complaint pertaining to employees exercising rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Law without formal extension. (HD2)
This Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Department of Transportation to work with the Department of Education to study how to improve the process for hiring and training school bus drivers in Hawaii. The bill addresses ongoing shortages of qualified drivers that have led to canceled routes and disrupted transportation for students, particularly in rural and neighbor island communities. The requested evaluation will examine barriers to commercial driver's licensing, coordination between agencies and private contractors, and strategies to expand testing and training access. The departments must consult with various stakeholders and submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature by the start of the 2027 regular session.
Requires state agencies that administer agricultural leases, licenses, development programs, or procurement involving agricultural products to award points or preferences to agricultural projects incorporating agricultural workforce housing. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to submit a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Clarifies that the requirement to disclose hourly rates or salary ranges on job listings applies to full-time, part-time, temporary, or seasonal employment. Repeals the exemption for employers having fewer than fifty employees from the disclosure requirement. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
