Rep. Luke Evslin

Establishes the Hawaii Climate Institute at the University of Hawaii to support climate resilience and adaptation initiatives of the University and the State. Requires a percentage of the revenue generated by any increase to the Transient Accommodations Tax rates beginning on January 1, 2026, and by assessment of the Transient Accommodations Tax on gross rental proceeds derived from cruise fares to be allocated to the University of Hawaii annually to support the programs and operations of the Hawaii Climate Institute. Transfers the International Pacific Research Center of the University of Hawaii at Manoa's School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology to the Hawaii Climate Institute. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Maddy summaryHB 1928 would replace the current deposit system for beverage containers with a new program requiring beverage producers to fund recycling. This shifts the financial responsibility from consumers (who currently pay a deposit) to the companies making the drinks. Under the new system, a Producer Responsibility Organization would manage the recycling program instead of the existing state-run deposit program. The bill is currently under committee review and has not yet become law.

Specifies that the driver of a vehicle must wait until a pedestrian has crossed half of the crosswalk plus an additional lane of the roadway before the driver can proceed.

Establishes that manufactured homes are a permitted use by right on residentially zoned lots within the urban district. Limits the use of residential building design elements to deny or discourage otherwise code-compliant manufactured homes. Prohibits homeowners' associations and similar private governing bodies from enforcing covenants that actively or effectively prohibit otherwise lawful manufactured housing. Prohibits counties from requiring manufactured homes that comply with federal manufactured housing standards to also comply with the Hawaii State Building Code or a county building code. Specifies that a manufactured home is considered real property, requiring its transfer, conveyance, and mortgage to follow the same recording and enforcement requirements as other real property. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes a Conservation Agriculture and Soil Health Incentive Program within the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, in collaboration with other state and county agencies, to study options for and coordinate the development of a shared statewide housing and infrastructure data platform to inform agency decision-making and state housing and infrastructure investments. Includes the development of a model that assesses the fiscal impacts of development and regional infrastructure investments. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires county boards of water supply to publicly disclose through their website service connection availability for residential permitting and construction. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires and appropriates funds for the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, in collaboration with a county selected by the Department, to develop an artificial intelligence-assisted pre-compliance intake pilot platform, subject to a matching funds requirement for the county. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to develop a policy or metric to measure the success of the pilot platform. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Repeals the requirement that a certain amount received from the cigarette tax on the wholesale price of each article or item of certain tobacco products deposited into the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund must be used for debt service of capital expenditures and building maintenance. Appropriates funds for the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires the Department of Education to give reasonable consideration to making all or portions of the facilities of a public school available to housing development for certain employees of the Department when closing the public school. Requires the Department of Education to identify unused public school facilities that may be appropriate for employee housing and inventory suitable grounds available upon public school closure for potential development of employee housing.