Establishes the Hawaiʻi Cannabis Authority and Cannabis Control Board within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to regulate all aspects of the cannabis plant. Beginning January 1, 2026, legalizes the personal adult use of cannabis. Establishes taxes for adult-use cannabis sales. Transfers the personnel and assets of the Department of Health and assets Department of Agriculture to the Hawaiʻi Cannabis Authority. Appropriates funds.
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Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center to conduct a multiethnic cohort study focusing on the social determinants of health, lifestyles, environmental exposures, and resilience factors of Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos. Requires the Cancer Center to seek federal funding to complete the study.
Establishes the Public Education Scholarship Program within the University of Hawaiʻi to provide students who are residents of the State with scholarships in return for a service commitment to teach in a public school classroom of the Department of Education or Hawaiʻi public charter school, under certain conditions. Appropriates funds.
Transfers the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Repeals the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts Commission. Requires the Governor to select the Executive Director of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Requires the Department of Human Resources Development to: (1) conduct a remote work study; (2) review any recent remote work studies done by the counties; (3) develop and administer a remote work program; and (4) submit the study to the Legislature prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025. Declares that the general fund expenditure ceiling is exceeded. Makes an appropriation.
Makes permanent the exemption from school impact fees of housing developed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
Appropriates moneys for the continued exploration and identification of geothermal resources on Hawaiian Home Lands. Declares that the appropriation exceeds the state general fund expenditure ceiling for 2024-2025.
Defines "low alcohol by volume spirits beverage". Establishes a tax on low alcohol by volume spirits beverages at a rate of $1.98 per wine gallon.
Requires the Department of Agriculture to conduct a market analysis study to identify the optimum mix of private sector, public sector, and philanthropic funding sources and mechanisms needed to support blue carbon ecosystem projects in the State and Pacific region. Makes an appropriation.
Remove state-related construction projects from the permitting requirements of the counties. Establishes a permitting process and division within the Department of Accounting and General Services. Appropriates funds.