Rep. Terez Amato

Authorizes neighborhood boards to solicit suggestions for capital improvement projects and operating budget priorities from residents. Requires each county mayor to consider and respond in writing to the suggestions for capital improvement projects and operating budget priorities submitted by each neighborhood board. Requires each county council to consider the neighborhood boards' recommendations, the mayor's responses, and county fiscal health in determining the final budget.

Expands the types of employees protected by the Hawaii Employment Relations Act to include independent contractors and all individuals subject to the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Act.

Directs the Department of Human Services to adopt rules to expand Medicaid eligibility to all children in the State from birth to age 5 years without regard to household income. Appropriates moneys.

Maddy summaryHB 942 allocates state funds to the Department of Health for contracting health care services with community-based organizations. This bill directly affects local health organizations that provide services to residents, particularly in underserved communities. The key provision establishes a funding mechanism requiring the Department of Health to use these resources to partner with such organizations for service delivery. The bill was introduced on January 21, 2025, and referred to relevant committees for review.

Maddy summaryHB 869 expands the Hawaii Community College Promise Program to provide scholarships to all qualified students, removing prior restrictions. It directly affects eligible students attending Hawaii community colleges by making the scholarship available regardless of previous eligibility criteria. The bill's key provision broadens the program's scope while appropriating state funds to cover the expanded coverage. This change creates a concrete policy shift in scholarship access without specifying additional student qualifications.

Adds psychology, physician assistant, marriage and family therapist, mental health counselor, clinical social worker, rehabilitation counselor, and school counselor students to the definition of "eligible student" under the qualifications for the healthcare preceptor tax credit. Amends the definition of "preceptor" by adding psychologists, physician assistants, marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, clinical social workers, rehabilitation counselors, and school counselors to the list of preceptors eligible to receive the tax credit. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025.

Adopts the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact to allow a person authorized to practice psychology in a compact state in which the person is not licensed.

Increases the buffer zone for restricted use pesticides around schools to one-half mile. Allows the use of restricted use pesticides within the buffer zone as part of invasive species control conducted by the Department of Agriculture or invasive species committees organized under the University of Hawaii Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit.

Maddy summaryHB 822 requires certain employers in the state to provide reproductive loss leave for their employees. This leave is specifically for employees experiencing pregnancy loss, such as miscarriage or stillbirth, and directly affects workers at covered employers. The bill establishes a new leave provision, mandating that eligible employers allow employees to take time off for this purpose without penalty or loss of benefits. The policy change focuses on creating a formal leave entitlement for reproductive loss events, separate from existing medical or family leave policies.

Prohibits the resetting of lease rents for long-term commercial leases above a level that is economic for the lessee's actual use of the property. Requires that a lessee whose long-term commercial lease has been terminated be compensated for the value of buildings, infrastructure, and businesses created by the lessee that will be retained by the lessor. Allows a lessee the right to purchase the property at fair market value.