Rep. Nadine Nakamura

Clarifies the Rental Housing Revolving Fund statute by defining "mixed-income rental projects" to establish consistent eligibility and use of appropriations for mixed-income rental housing projects. Clarifies that mixed-income rental projects are primarily for households at or below one-hundred-forty per cent of the area median income, allowing participation by higher-income households. Authorizes the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to transfer funds between the Rental Housing Revolving Fund into the mixed-income subaccount to support eligible mixed-income projects, without legislative approval. Repeals the sunset date in Act 159, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025, thereby making these provisions permanent. Requires a report to the Legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 2058 exempts employees in county Housing and Community Development Offices or Departments from standard civil service hiring rules. This means these specific county positions would no longer be subject to typical civil service examination and promotion processes. The bill directly affects county housing offices by allowing them to hire and manage staff under different, non-civil service procedures. It is a procedural change focused solely on altering the employment rules for these defined county roles.

Maddy summaryHB 2065 allocates general funds into the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund to create more low-interest loans for eligible projects. The bill directly affects municipalities, businesses, or organizations seeking funding for water pollution prevention or cleanup efforts, such as wastewater treatment upgrades. Its key mechanism is using state funds to expand the revolving loan pool, allowing borrowers to repay funds that are then reused for future projects. This provides concrete financial support for water infrastructure improvements without creating new permanent spending.

Adds new preferences for state and county employees to the eligibility criteria for housing development programs administered by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Clarifies the Corporation's authority to adopt rules and determine the order of applicant preferences.

Maddy summaryHB 1955 raises the contract value threshold requiring government agencies to verify vendor compliance from $2,500 to $6,000. This change directly affects state agencies purchasing goods or services and the vendors they work with, reducing the number of contracts needing compliance documentation. The bill’s key provision is simply increasing the dollar amount that triggers this verification requirement. It does not alter existing compliance standards, only the point at which they must be applied. The bill was introduced on January 23, 2026, and referred to the Finance Committee.

Repeals law that provides that all local ordinances or regulations that regulate the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices are preempted and that existing local laws and regulations conflicting with the state law on smoking are null and void. Clarifies that counties retain the authority to adopt ordinances that regulate the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices, as long as the ordinances do not conflict with and are more stringent than the state law on smoking.

Amends the deadlines for the upgrade or conversion of cesspools to Director of Health-approved wastewater system or connection of cesspools to a sewerage system. Requires priority 1 cesspools to be upgraded, converted, or connected by 12/31/2050, and phases the deadlines for lower priority cesspools in later years. Requires the Director of Health, in consultation with the counties, to determine the prioritization level of all cesspools in the State.

Repeals language prohibiting county legislative bodies from imposing stricter conditions or other requirements on certain housing projects of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

Authorizes each county that has established a surcharge on state tax before 7/1/2015 to extend the surcharge until 12/31/2045 at the same rates if the county does so before 1/1/2028. Provides that no county surcharge on state tax authorized for a county that has not established a surcharge on state tax before 7/1/2015, shall be levied before 1/1/2019 or after 12/31/2045. Repeals certain conditions on the use of surcharges received from the State for counties having a population equal to or less than 500,000 that adopt a county surcharge on state tax.

Maddy summaryHB 2098 authorizes the state to join the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYCOMP), a multi-state agreement. If enacted, it would allow licensed psychologists in participating states to provide telehealth services and practice across state lines more easily. This directly affects licensed psychologists seeking to serve clients in other compact states and their clients. The bill itself only establishes the state's ability to enter the compact; it does not create new licensing rules or requirements.