Rep. Della Belatti

Maddy summaryHB 768 appropriates funds to establish investigator positions within the Campaign Spending Commission. This bill directly affects the Commission by enabling it to hire additional staff to investigate campaign finance compliance. The key provision is the allocation of specific budget resources for these investigator roles, without changing existing campaign finance laws or creating new regulations. The bill focuses solely on providing staffing resources for the Commission's enforcement capacity. (Note: As a funding measure, it does not directly impact voters, candidates, or political entities beyond the Commission's internal operations.)

Maddy summaryHB 929 would impose an additional surcharge on the existing conveyance tax for the net capital gain realized when agricultural land is sold or transferred. This tax applies directly to sellers of agricultural land who profit from the sale, such as farmers or landowners. The bill’s key provision is adding this surcharge specifically to the conveyance tax calculation for these transactions. It does not change the base conveyance tax rate but creates a new fee on the capital gain portion of the sale. The bill is currently deferred by the committee and has not been enacted.

Authorizes condominium associations and planned community associations located in a zoning district that allows for transient vacation rentals to impose an impact fee on owners or members who use their units as transient vacation rentals. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires all newly constructed single-family residences and apartment buildings located within specified geographic areas to be built to withstand certain categories of hurricanes and to contain residential safe rooms with attached bathrooms. Effective 1/1/2026.

Maddy summaryHB 355 creates a nonrefundable individual income tax credit for homeowners who pay expenses to retrofit their residences with wind-resistant devices, such as storm shutters or reinforced roofs. The credit directly benefits homeowners who make these safety upgrades, reducing the amount of income tax they owe based on their actual retrofit costs. This policy change provides a financial incentive for property improvements designed to enhance resilience against wind damage, without offering cash refunds if the credit exceeds tax liability. The bill remains pending in the 2026 legislative session.

Repeals the leasing restriction on owner-builders who obtain an owner-builder exemption to act as their own contractor and who build or improve residential or farm buildings or structures on property they own or lease and do not offer the buildings or structures for sale. Requires an owner or lessee to provide signed written notice that the structure for lease or sublease was built or improved by an individual who is not a licensed contractor. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Prohibits foreign entities from owning, leasing, or holding a controlling interest in more than an unspecified number of acres of agricultural land. Limits the lease term for agricultural land by foreign entities. Requires foreign entities that own or lease interest in agricultural lands to file an annual report with the Department of Agriculture. Appropriates funds.

Appropriates funds for critical repairs, maintenance, demolition, design, and construction for facilities of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Establishes and appropriates funds for positions within the University of Hawaii for the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Maddy summaryHB 887 requires human services providers - such as agencies offering childcare, elder care, or mental health services - to pay employees the local prevailing wage rate for similar work. This means providers must pay wages determined by local labor market standards, not lower rates. The bill directly affects organizations employing workers in these service sectors by mandating fair compensation aligned with regional wage norms. It does not specify enforcement details or exceptions, focusing solely on establishing this wage requirement.

Requires the State Auditor to conduct management and financial audits of Medicaid health care insurance contractors at least once every two years, with the first audit report to be submitted no later than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2027. Appropriates funds.