Establishes the Accessible Wilderness and State Parks Trails Program within the Division of State Parks of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Establishes the Accessible Wilderness and State Parks Trails Program Special Fund. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
Maddy summaryHB 1272 proposes establishing Hawaii's Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program, administered by the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board. The program would provide a structured pathway for new educators to gain classroom experience while earning a salary, directly affecting aspiring teachers seeking to enter the profession. Key provisions include appropriating state funds to support the program and requiring the Teacher Standards Board to develop standards for the apprenticeship model. This bill creates a new concrete policy option for teacher recruitment and training in Hawaii.
Maddy summaryHB 1355 authorizes the state to issue general obligation bonds and allocate funds for capital improvement projects specifically benefiting the Island of Hawaii. This bill directly affects Hawaii Island residents and local government by providing financial resources for infrastructure upgrades. The key mechanism is the authorization to borrow money through bond sales and the direct appropriation of state funds for these projects. The bill is currently in committee referral after its introduction and first reading on January 23, 2025.
Requires all accident and health or sickness insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations operating in the State to adopt policies, procedures, and criteria for approving or denying requests for prior authorization that are the equivalent to the guidelines for prior authorization established by Medicare.
Establishes the Office of the State Architect within the Department of Accounting and General Services to be headed by the State Architect. Authorizes the State Architect to organize, manage, and oversee the design review of all state construction projects and issue design approvals. Establishes the Design Review Special Fund. Requires the State Architect to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature. Authorizes DAGS to provide centralized design review services for state construction projects and issue design approvals through the State Architect. Exempts state construction projects from county building permit, inspection, and certificate of occupancy requirements, subject to certain conditions. Makes appropriations.
Appropriates funds for eight full-time agricultural technician, and four full-time coordinator positions at University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.
Increases the income tax rate on the highest income earners in the State by establishing a new tax bracket for taxable years beginning after 12/31/2029.
Allows manufacturers to coordinate activities directly related to the recycling of covered electronic devices. Expands the scope of covered electronic devices to include electronic device peripherals and certain legacy devices. Requires manufacturers to provide free collection service locations and collection events.
Authorizes physicians to practice at organized ambulatory health care facilities even if the physician does not have hospital privileges at a licensed hospital in the same geographic location as the ambulatory facility. Provides that a written transfer agreement is not required to transfer a patient from an organized ambulatory health care facility to a licensed hospital.
Adopts the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact to allow a person authorized to practice psychology in a compact state in which the person is not licensed.
