Rep. Chris Todd

Authorizes the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to appoint an organization as the limited owner of a cemetery, under certain circumstances, for the purposes of filing complaints and engaging in certain security and perpetual care activities for the cemetery. Requires an appointed limited owner of a cemetery to submit annual progress reports to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. (CD1)

Authorizes a state department, division, or agency, rather than the Department of Human Resources Development, to conduct a minimum qualification review of applicants for vacant positions within the department, division, or agency. Requires the Department of Human Resources Development to provide state departments, divisions, and agencies the applications received for vacancies under certain circumstances. (CD1)

Clarifies the definition of "provider" as it relates to the entities eligible to provide no cost emergency shelter and related services to a consenting minor to include certain organizations who are not considered child placing organizations or child caring institutions. Sunsets 6/30/2029. (SD2)

Requires the Executive Office on Aging, in coordination with the State Health Planning and Development Agency, to create a comprehensive long-term care plan to accomplish certain long-term care policy goals that ensure the availability of a full continuum of institutional and community-based services. Establishes and appropriates funds for one long-term care planner position within the Executive Office on Aging to oversee the development and implementation of the long-term care plan. Requires the Executive Office on Aging to submit a report to the Legislature. (CD1)

Amends the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, as amended, to increase the loan limit for direct loans provided by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from fifty percent to seventy-five percent of the maximum single residence loan amount allowed in Hawaiʻi by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's Federal Housing Administration. Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to provide financial literacy education for all borrowers. (SD2)

Maddy summaryHB 2626 outlines specific findings that the Board of Land and Natural Resources must make before leasing a government-owned Hawaiian fishpond. This requirement ensures that the board evaluates particular criteria, such as the fishpond's condition and intended use, prior to granting a lease agreement. The bill directly impacts the state agency responsible for managing these cultural and natural resources and the parties seeking to lease them. By establishing these mandatory findings, the legislation aims to add a layer of review to the leasing process for these significant sites.

Authorizes the Department of Transportation to acquire, including by condemnation, any real, personal, or mixed property for immediate or future use and own, hold, improve, rehabilitate, sell, assign, exchange, transfer, convey, lease, or dispose of the property acquired. Amends the definition of "public lands" to exclude lands set aside for the Department of Transportation, leased by the Department of Transportation, or to which the Department of Transportation holds title. Authorizes the Department of Transportation to directly acquire any real property for its purposes. Authorizes the Director of Transportation to expend funds for the acquisition, management, or maintenance of property for projects relating to climate mitigation and adaptation and visual and noise buffer zones and barriers. (CD1)

Appropriates funds to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and Department of Education to support health care workforce development programs, specifically the public high school health care workforce certificate program and glidepath program for certified nurse aides. Appropriates funds to renovate and equip certain public high school classrooms to be used for health care training. (CD1)

Appropriates funds for temporary positions to support the expansion of the University of Hawaiʻi Windward Community College's mental health-related programs. (CD1)

Authorizes certain types of radiographical coverage and specialist consultations without a treatment plan within the context of workers' compensation coverage for employees with cervical and lumbar spinal injuries, or suspected cervical and lumbar spinal injuries. (CD1)