Rep. Terez Amato

Establishes the Teacher Housing Assistance Program to be administered by the Department of Education to provide housing vouchers to certain eligible teachers. Appropriates funds out of the Teachers' Housing Revolving Fund. Effective 7/31/2055. (SD1)

Clarifies that public charter school teachers are eligible for incentives under the Teacher National Board Certification Incentive Program. Effective 7/31/2055. (SD1)

Provides certain liability protections for nonprofit child welfare service organizations that are under contract with the Department of Human Services to provide child welfare services to children and families. Prohibits contracts between nonprofit child welfare service organizations and the State from including indemnification and hold harmless provisions and from requiring either party to name the other as an additional insured in their respective liability insurance policies. Prohibits pre- and post-judgment interest and punitive damages for nonprofit child welfare service organizations. Requires actions against nonprofit child welfare service organizations to be tried by the court, except in certain circumstances. Removes joint and several liability for nonprofit child welfare service organizations. Specifies that no bond shall be required from a nonprofit child welfare service organization on appeal. Effective 1/30/2050. (SD1)

Establishes a Cesspool Conversion Implementation Working Group to assist the Department of Health in a review of the Department's administrative rules and practices regarding wastewater systems and cesspools and in the development of proposed changes to make cesspool conversions more affordable. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds for positions and hiring of a consultant to assist the Cesspool Conversion Implementation Working Group. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Establishes the Kamaaina Homes Pilot Program within the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to provide funding to a county, to be designated by the Corporation, to purchase voluntary deed restrictions from eligible homebuyers. Sunsets 6/30/2032. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Establishes the Tenant Protection Working Group within the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to address certain tenant protection issues in the State. Requires the Tenant Protection Working Group to report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Appropriates funds to the Department of Health to purchase one advanced life support ambulance and related equipment to be based in central Maui, fund pay-related personnel costs for state-certified emergency medical services personnel, and increase the predictability and stability of available air ambulance services for all islands in the State. Effective 1/31/2050. (SD1)

Establishes a five-year pilot program to authorize the Department of Education to rehire retired teachers and educational officers for hard-to-staff positions. Sunsets 6/30/2031. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Establishes the Mapping of Arts Data for Education Task Force to conduct a study and develop a comprehensive, publicly available statewide database and geographic information systems map of arts entities and programs engaged in arts and arts education. Requires interim and final reports to the Legislature. Task Force sunsets upon submission of final report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Maddy summaryHB 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.