Rep. Luke Evslin

Requires state agencies, including the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and Agribusiness Development Corporation, that administer agricultural leases, licenses, development programs, or procurement involving agricultural products to award points or preferences to agricultural projects incorporating agricultural workforce housing. Requires a report to the Legislature.

Authorizes and appropriates moneys for the Board of Psychology to grant prescriptive authority privilege to clinical psychologists who meet specific education, training, and registration requirements. Requires the Board of Psychology to accept applications for prescriptive authority privilege beginning 7/1/2027. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 2228 increases matching funds for candidates participating in the state's partial public financing program. It specifically raises the amount of public money matched for "excess qualifying contributions" beyond the program's base threshold. This change directly affects candidates who receive small donations under the program, potentially providing them with more public funding for their campaigns. The bill is currently in early stages of the legislative process.

Prohibits a landlord or the landlord's agent from charging an application fee for a criminal background check or credit report if an applicant provides a certified copy of a recent criminal background check or credit report. Prohibits a landlord or the landlord's agent from charging an application fee if a recent comprehensive reusable tenant screening report is available. Requires a landlord or the landlord's agent to provide, upon request, a certified copy of an applicant's criminal background check or credit report.

Authorizes the Attorney General to bring a civil action in the name of the people of the State as parens patriae against any responsible party to recover certain costs or obtain certain relief, including costs and losses incurred by the Hawaii Property Insurance Association, Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund, or other state entities, resulting from climate attributable harm or costs for risk of future climate attributable harm. Authorizes the Hawaii Property Insurance Association and Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund, or any private insurer licensed in the State to bring a civil cause of action against a responsible party to recover its costs and losses resulting from climate attributable harm.

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.

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.

Establishes the Pro-Housing Score Program to evaluate each county's performance in expanding housing opportunities and reducing regulatory barriers. Requires the counties to publish their respective pro-housing scores online and HHFDC to publish certain related information and data on a public dashboard. Establishes criteria for deeming a county noncompliant. Establishes builder's remedies for certain housing projects in transit-oriented development areas. Specifies that if a county is deemed noncompliant, the planning director or an equivalent county officer responsible for land use approvals are responsible for approving or denying certain affordable housing development applications. Establishes procedures for certain transit-oriented development housing project appeals. Appropriates funds.

Maddy summaryHB 1796 is a newly introduced housing-related bill (first reading on January 23, 2026) that has not yet provided specific details about its provisions. The official abstract describes it only as a "short form bill relating to housing," offering no concrete policy changes or affected parties. With no further legislative actions or substantive description available in the current context, the bill's specific mechanisms or impact cannot be determined. As it is in the earliest stage of the process, a detailed summary of its policy content is not possible at this time.

Requires quarterly rather than annual reporting of all use of restricted use pesticides. Amends the contents of reports to include specific geospatial data and information and increased detail on the amount of restricted use pesticides used. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to develop an online reporting tool for restricted use pesticides. Appropriates funds.