Rep. Mahina Poepoe

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.

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, requires the Department of Education to include the teaching of financial literacy in kindergarten through grade twelve. Requires students in grades nine through twelve to complete a one-half credit in financial literacy before graduation. Requires the Board of Education to provide professional development to teachers who are teaching financial literacy courses.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 913 allocates state funds to create new staff positions within the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Aquatic Resources. This bill directly affects the division by enabling it to hire additional personnel for managing aquatic resources. It is a procedural funding measure with no policy changes, solely providing resources for staffing. The bill was introduced on January 21, 2025, and passed its first reading on January 23, 2025.

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.