Rep. Matthias Kusch

Establishes various criminal offenses and penalties related to fireworks or articles pyrotechnic. Amends multiple definitions and penalties for fireworks offenses, including heightened penalties if another person suffers substantial bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death as a result of the fireworks offenses. Adds fireworks infractions to the existing adjudication of infractions process for traffic and emergency period infractions. (CD2)

Part I: Renames the Department of Agriculture as the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (Department) and the Board of Agriculture as the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Part II: Establishes a Deputy Chairperson for Biosecurity. Part III: Authorizes and specifies conditions under which the Department may declare a biosecurity emergency, during which the Department and Governor may take certain actions to prevent the establishment or spread of pests and prohibited or restricted organisms. Broadens the objectives and general actions of the Biosecurity Program. Part IV: Authorizes the Department to establish transitional facilities. Requires the Department to certify and train biosecurity compliance auditors to inspect imported plants and animals. Requires inspection of various items transported interisland. Increases penalties for illegally transporting plants, animals, and microorganisms. Part V: Authorizes the Department to enter into government‑industry agreements for readiness and response to unwanted organisms in the State. Authorizes biosecurity and pest management plans to address, contain, or eradicate pests. Requires the Department to establish a pest dashboard by 12/1/2025. Part VI: Authorizes the Department to adopt rules to establish and enforce the Plant Care Component Program. Authorizes the Department to assess administrative penalties for the enforcement of the Plant Care Component Program. Part VII: Transfers the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Department. Part VIII: Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Establish a safe routes to school program vehicle registration surcharge on certain motor vehicle registrations to be imposed and collected no later than 12/31/2025. Prohibits the use of facial recognition software in the operation of any photo red light imaging detector systems or automated speed enforcement systems. Clarifies the citations and summons procedures for the Automated Speed Enforcement Detector Systems Program. (CD1)

Transfers the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to the Department of Accounting and General Services. Renames the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office to Broadband Office. Repeals broadband duties assigned to the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Repeals the Broadband Assistance Advisory Council. Transfers the duty of collecting and posting certain broadband infrastructure notices to the Broadband Office. Establishes the Broadband Revolving Fund. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Specifies for a county with a population of more than two hundred thousand but less than five hundred thousand, that the State or county may repair or maintain any street of which the ownership or jurisdiction is in dispute between the State and county. Specifies that the State or county that repaired or maintained the street may only be held liable for acts or omissions arising out of the repair or maintenance of that street that the State or county performed at any time. Deems that repair or maintenance of a street shall not confer ownership or jurisdiction over such street if the ownership or jurisdiction over the street is in dispute between the State and the county. Sunsets 7/1/2030. (CD1)

Appropriates funds to establish a position within the Department of Health to assist with the upgrade and conversion of cesspools and perform any other related responsibilities as designated by the Wastewater Branch of the Department of Health. (CD1)

Specifies that an engineering study is not required to be considered when reducing the maximum speed limit within ten miles per hour of the current speed limit for that road. Requires the Department of Transportation or a county, to the extent practicable, to consider National Association of City Transportation Officials guidance when setting a maximum speed limit for sections of highways with residential or commercial areas or schools immediately on a highway. (CD1)

Requires the Chief Election Officer to provide a system for the electronic filing of nomination papers. Requires that the system for the electronic filing of nomination papers be provided at no additional cost to the filer. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2028. (CD1)

Creates a framework for the licensure of rural emergency hospitals at the state level by the Department of Health. Clarify Medicaid reimbursement policies for hospitals transitioning from a critical access hospital designation to a rural emergency hospital designation. (CD1)

Maddy summaryHB 110 adjusts existing targets and deadlines for the Department of Education to source locally grown food products for schools. It modifies the current timeline and specific goals the department must meet for purchasing locally produced agricultural items. The bill directly affects schools and the Department of Education by changing how they implement local food procurement requirements. These changes streamline the process without introducing new funding or penalties for compliance. The bill passed committee with amendments and is now moving forward in the legislative process.