Rep. Terez Amato

PART II: Exempts the sale of groceries and nonprescription drugs from the general excise tax. PART III: Removes the state income tax on unemployment compensation benefits. PART IV: Doubles the standard deduction for individuals earning less than $100,000 and joint filers earning less than $200,000. Repeals the incremental increases on standard income tax deduction amounts. PART V: Increases the maximum adjusted gross income allowed to qualify for the low-income household renters' income tax credit and increases the credit amount. PART VI: Repeals the incremental changes to income tax brackets and removes the tax liability for the first $100,000 of individual income earned.

Requires the Department of Education to develop and implement a 100th Infantry Battalion history curricula plan beginning with the 2027-2028 school year. Establishes a one-year 100th Infantry Battalion history curriculum pilot program within certain public high schools during the 2026-2027 school year. Requires a report to the Legislature.

Requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to develop and implement a comprehensive safety plan that includes the use of safety technologies for all public housing statewide. Requires the Authority to adopt policies that protect civil liberties and safeguard data and engage with public housing residents regarding the use of safety technologies. Appropriates funds.

Establishes new requirements for the disposition of public lands, including requiring two-thirds approval of each house of the Legislature via concurrent resolution and with a supporting resolution from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and applies this requirement to the disposition of public lands to public utilities and renewable energy producers as well. Limits the duration of public land disposition to the United States military to twenty-five years. Requires any new land disposition to the United States military to be accompanied by a clean-up and remediation bond from the United States military to be deposited into the state treasury. Prohibits the Board of Land and Natural Resources from issuing any new land disposition to the United States military until the military, State, and Office of Hawaiian Affairs reach an agreement in principle on certain matters.

Prohibits merchants from imposing credit card processing fees or convenience fees, under certain conditions. Ensures that payment processing costs are reasonable and transparent. Prohibits merchants from imposing surcharges on debit card transactions. Effective 1/1/2027.

Maddy summaryHB 1988 prohibits the commercial harvesting of aquatic life (such as fish and marine organisms) for use in the aquarium trade, regardless of the collection method. This bill directly affects businesses and suppliers in the commercial aquarium industry that rely on harvesting live aquatic species. The key provision bans all forms of harvesting for this specific purpose, with no exceptions outlined in the abstract. It represents a direct environmental protection measure targeting a specific commercial practice. The bill is currently in early committee review stages.

Makes any state-chartered corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, cooperative, nonprofit, or other association lack the legal capacity to make expenditures or contributions in connection with elections or ballot measures. Deems any election or ballot measure expenditure or contribution to be ultra vires or void as a matter of law, triggering administrative forfeiture of charter privileges, including limited liability and perpetual duration, until reinstatement. Effective 1/1/2027.

Requires any law enforcement officer acting under color of law in a public space or on state or county property to remain visibly identifiable. Prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings while performing their duties, with certain exceptions. Requires law enforcement officers to wear apparel and use vehicles that bear conspicuous markings of the applicable law enforcement agency. Requires all civil law enforcement activity that involves participation by state or county law enforcement officers or occurs on state or county property to be conducted in a manner that adheres to specified standards. Deems certain locations to be service-first spaces and requires them to have clear, narrowly tailored procedures with respect to civil immigration actions. Requires all state and county agencies to adopt policies that limit the collection, retention, and sharing of immigration-related personal data. Requires all interagency data exchanges between state agencies, county agencies, or state and county agencies to operate under auditable agreements. Requires all state and county agencies to report annually to the Legislature and Governor regarding the civil-immigration-related requests. Requires every state and county agency to adopt a policy that prohibits immigration-based harassment or threats, including unwarranted verification of an individual's immigration status, with respect to employment or the provision of services to the public. Requires all state and county law enforcement officers to monitor civil immigration enforcement activity by activating body cameras when present in a situation in which United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are interacting with a member of the general public.

Maddy summaryHB 2120 allows private marriage license agents to charge applicants a fee of up to $25 for processing marriage licenses. This directly affects couples applying for marriage licenses through these private agents, who may now collect this additional fee. The bill establishes a specific maximum fee amount ($25) for agents' services, clarifying their authority to collect this charge while leaving state marriage license requirements unchanged.

Extends the statute of limitations for offenses based on misconduct in office by a public servant to allow prosecution at any time during the defendant's period of public service and up to ten years thereafter.