Rep. Sue Lee Loy

Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources and certain public or private entities to seek the approval of the Board of Land and Natural Resources to operate conservation banks for situations where a person or entity is required to provide compensatory mitigation to offset adverse impacts to threatened, endangered, candidate, or proposed species as part of an approved incidental take license and habitat conservation plan. Adds the associate director of the United States Geological Survey, Ecosystem Mission Area, to the membership of the Endangered Species Recovery Committee. Requires the Endangered Species Recovery Committee to review applications and proposals for conservation banks and conservation bank instruments conduct subsequent reviews and oversight. (CD1)

Requires the counties to allow for the installation and operation of rainwater catchment systems for potable and nonpotable uses on all properties. Allows the counties to require registration, inspection, or notification of rainwater catchment systems. (CD1)

Repeals the prohibition against qualified residents for Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation-approved projects holding a majority interest in land and repeals the requirement that qualified residents demonstrate financial viability or ability to pay rent. Limits a qualified resident from owning a majority interest in no more than one property suitable for dwelling purposes, but requiring the disposal of such property within two years. Amends exemptions from statutes, ordinances, charter provisions, and rules for certain housing projects developed by the Corporation that satisfy certain conditions, including requirements related to employment, owner-occupancy, and deed restrictions. (CD1)

Establishes the Hawaii Micro-Lending Credit Enhancement Program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to expand micro-lending capacity by providing state‑funded loan loss reserves or other credit enhancement that absorbs first losses on qualified micro-loans made by participating lenders to Hawaii small businesses. Allows borrower fees and state matching contributions to capitalize lender-held loan loss reserve accounts. Establishes the Hawaii Micro-Lending Credit Enhancement Special Fund. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds out of the Special Fund. (CD1)

Prohibits persons from interfering with another person's access to or from a health care facility or disrupting the normal functioning of a health care facility. Makes violations a petty misdemeanor. Establishes a private right of action. Authorizes the Attorney General to bring an action for injunctive or other equitable relief. (SD1)

Requires the Department of the Attorney General to develop a Human Trafficking Awareness Training Program, or approve externally developed programs, to educate and train workers in the transient accommodations sector. Requires transient accommodations employers or transient accommodations third-party contractors to periodically provide the human trafficking awareness training to certain employees and contract workers, keep records of the training, post signage, and develop and implement a human trafficking prevention policy that includes procedures for the reporting of suspected human trafficking. Establishes penalties. Requires the Department of Law Enforcement to adopt rules. (CD1)

Extends for five years certain provisions from Act 19, SLH 2020, and Act 238, SLH 2021, relating to abuse of family or household members, including establishing a petty misdemeanor offense of abuse of family or household members, clarifying penalties for violations, and allowing a deferred acceptance of guilty plea for misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor abuse of family or household members offenses. Requires the Judiciary to submit reports to the Legislature. Effective 6/29/2026. (CD1)

Authorizes the display of a mobile driver's license to a law enforcement officer on a mobile electronic device, under certain conditions. Limits a law enforcement officer's access to only the information necessary to verify the driver's license credential when displayed electronically. (CD1)

Maddy summaryHB 2475 establishes labeling requirements for 'ōkolehao, a traditional Hawaiian distilled spirit made from taro. It directly affects producers and sellers of 'ōkolehao by mandating specific information on product labels, such as origin, ingredients, or production methods to ensure authenticity. The key provision requires that all 'ōkolehao sold in Hawaii meet these standardized labeling standards. This bill aims to clarify product identity for consumers while supporting local cultural heritage products.

Limits the maximum term of imprisonment for misdemeanors that are not crimes of violence, or for offenses that are not crimes of violence punishable by up to or not exceeding one year, to three hundred sixty-four days. Allows individuals previously sentenced to a one-year term of imprisonment for an offense that is not a crime of violence to apply to the trial court for reconsideration of the sentence to conform to the revised maximum penalty. (CD1)