This House Resolution requests the Workforce Development Council to develop a comprehensive statewide workforce strategy by 2045 to ensure all residents have access to careers that allow them to learn, work, and thrive in Hawaii. The bill directs the Council to recommend this strategy to the Governor for inclusion in the State Unified Plan, aiming to address concerns about high living costs, limited job opportunities, and youth unemployment. The proposed strategy must include specific plans and metrics for improving work-based learning, expanding living-wage jobs, reducing underemployment, and strengthening industry partnerships. This resolution focuses on creating a long-term framework to unify state and county workforce efforts under common goals and priorities.
This House Resolution formally recognizes open water lifeguards in Hawaii as first responders, acknowledging their specialized training and critical role in emergency response. The bill highlights that these professionals are among the first to arrive at beach emergencies, providing medical aid, rescue services, and scene security similar to police and firefighters. While the resolution does not create new legal requirements, it urges state and county agencies to grant lifeguards the same rights, resources, and professional respect afforded to other first responders. The measure also encourages collaboration among public safety agencies to improve emergency response capabilities across Hawaii's ocean and shoreline environments.
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. Allows licensed occupational and physical therapists to be deemed qualified to perform functional capacity examinations. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Appropriates funds to support educational training programs to expand the State's health care workforce, including funding to support health care certification programs offered in public high schools and education programs that support certified nurse assistants in becoming licensed practical nurses. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)
Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to: (1) Establish a Restorative Aquaculture Development Program to reduce aquaculture permit processing time, support aquaculture infrastructure expansion, increase the aquaculture workforce, and pursue federal aquaculture grants; (2) Establish three pilot demonstration sites for restorative aquaculture; and (3) Convene a Restorative Aquaculture Advisory Council. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 6/30/2030. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Provides annual salary step increases for public schools and public charter school teachers who have completed one year's satisfactory service and comply with specified requirements, if negotiated into a collective bargaining agreement pursuant to section 89-9, HRS, and subject to funds appropriated by the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Increases a taxpayer's applicable percentage of employment-related expenses that is used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit. Establishes certain disallowance periods following a final decision that a claim for the credit was due to fraud and that the claim was disallowed. Extends the sunset date of the temporary increase in maximum employment-related expenses that are used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit, established by Act 163, SLH 2023, to 6/30/2030. Sunsets 6/30/2030. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD1)
Expands workers' compensation medical benefits for firefighters to include coverage for adenocarcinoma or mesothelioma of the respiratory system; cancer of the buccal cavity, cervix, colon, esophagus, ovary, pharynx, skin, female reproductive organs, including the uterus, endometrium, and fallopian tubes, and thyroid; and malignant melanoma. Specifies that an employer may deny medical benefits under workers' compensation law only if they prove that the cancer or disease was not associated with firefighting duties. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Establishes an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural workforce housing in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
HB 2159 funds health care workforce development programs at the University of Hawaii. It appropriates state funds to establish new positions within the university focused on training and supporting health care workers. This bill directly affects the University of Hawaii's ability to expand its health care workforce initiatives. The key provision is the allocation of dedicated funding to create these new roles, aiming to strengthen Hawaii's health care workforce pipeline.
