Raises the minimum wage and establishes an adjusted minimum wage rate for 2027 and after. Repeals the tip credit.
Incorporates a regenerative framework into the State Planning Act by expanding objectives and policies for the visitor industry.
Defines broadband equity. Clarifies the Hawaii Broadband and Digital Equity Office's duties to promote and support digital equity and broadband deployment.
Authorizes the counties to reclassify lands fifteen to one hundred acres in certain rural, urban, and agricultural districts in which at least fifty per cent of the housing units on the land sought to be reclassified are set aside for persons and families with incomes at or below one hundred forty per cent of the area median income.
Amends the existing expungement process to an automatic process, rather than requiring persons to petition the court or attorney general.
Establishes the housing assistance program, to be carried out by the housing assistance program coordinator, within the department of human services to provide state grants and rental subsidies to private property owners who set aside, construct, or improve accessory dwelling units on their properties and rent the units to families or individuals who are homeless. Establishes the temporary housing assistance program commission and positions to support the housing assistance program. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 6/30/2027.
Establishes a temporary fetal alcohol spectrum disorders task force within the Department of Health for administrative purposes. Requires a report to the Legislature. Establishes the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders special fund, to be administered by the Department of Human Services, and which shall consist of federal funds and interest earned on those funds.
Increases certain penalties for the crimes of assault, burglary, criminal property damage, and theft by one grade.
Require DLNR to establish a visitor green fee program to collect fees from nonresidents, to be used for the protection, restoration, and care of Hawaii's natural, cultural, and outdoor recreational resources and build the resilience of these resources to the impacts of climate change and local threats, in order to obtain a license to use state natural resources. Establishes the Hawaii environmental legacy commission to guide the disbursement of visitor green fee program funds. Establishes the Hawaii environmental legacy special fund.
Prohibits health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations from excluding coverage of a service solely because the service is provided through telehealth and not through face-to-face contact. Requires parity between telehealth services and face-to-face services for purposes of deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, benefit limits, and utilization reviews.
