Rep. Mahina Poepoe

Requires the Department of Education to establish a student bus fare rate system that includes free school bus passes for students who meet certain statutory requirements. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/31/2055. (SD1)

Authorizes supporting documents used to transfer ownership of a motor vehicle to an insurance company after payment of damages from the result of a total loss insurance settlement to be signed electronically. Requires insurance companies to indemnify and hold harmless the Director of Finance for any claims resulting from the issuance of motor vehicle titles utilizing documents signed electronically without a notary. Effective 7/1/2027. (SD1)

Requires and appropriates funds for the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to develop, implement, and maintain a centralized resource website to connect residents to support and resources to address affordability, health, safety, and the impacts of climate change. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Maddy summaryHB 1896 appropriates state funds to the Department of Education to support community schools. It directly affects community schools by providing dedicated funding for their operations and programs. The bill’s key mechanism is a financial appropriation, directing specific resources to the Department of Education for this purpose, without altering existing school policies or creating new requirements.

Establishes the Maternal Health Monitoring Pilot Program within the Department of Health to offer eligible participants improved maternal health care through remote patient monitoring for maternal hypertension and maternal diabetes. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD1)

Establishes and appropriates funds for the ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Commission to coordinate and promote initiatives that support the use of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. Sunsets 12/2/2030. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Imposes conveyance tax on the transfer of a controlling interest of an entity with an interest in real property. Stipulates that the imposition of the conveyance tax on transfers of entity ownership shall not apply to any transfer of interest or acquisition between entities wholly owned by the same common ownership that results in no change in the beneficial ownership. Imposes the conveyance tax on certain transfers of real property at the lowest tax rate. Imposes liability on the transferee in the event that the transferor of the controlling interest does not pay the tax due. Effective 1/1/3028. (SD1)

Increases a taxpayer's applicable percentage of employment-related expenses that is used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit. Establishes certain disallowance periods following a final decision that a claim for the credit was due to fraud and that the claim was disallowed. Extends the sunset date of the temporary increase in maximum employment-related expenses that are used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit, established by Act 163, SLH 2023, to 6/30/2030. Sunsets 6/30/2030. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD1)

Establishes a State Noxious Weed Coordinator position and updates the process for designating and managing noxious weeds. Allows public proposals to add, amend, or remove noxious weed designations. Requires notice and public reporting. Clarifies the authority of the Department and Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Authorizes updates to the noxious weed list to be adopted by order and classifies noxious weeds into three categories. Strengthens enforcement and penalties. Updates departmental duties for noxious weed control and eradication. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Requires the State Librarian to establish an Imagination Library of Hawaii Program to provide one free book each month to children from birth through five years of age who reside in the State. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/31/2055. (SD1)