Rep. Sonny Ganaden

Reduces the landfill buffer zone from one-half mile to one-quarter mile.

Prohibits the manufacture, distribution, and sale of single-use plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers designed to hold 16 fluid ounces or less, effective 1/1/2024, and single-use plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers designed to hold more than 16 fluid ounces, effective 1/1/2025.

Defines "pre-contact historic property". Clarifies that the historic preservation program includes the development, publication, and distribution of materials and consultation services about protections for burials, historic sites, and archaeological resources. Increases civil and administrative fines for certain violations of historic and preservation requirements and makes violators liable for costs associated with mitigation or restoration measures.

Amends provisions that exempt a proposed housing project of the Hawaii housing finance and development corporation from statutes, ordinances, charter provisions to include a requirement that the proposed project does not impact wetlands or natural stormwater infrastructure. Requires an environmental assessment for actions under the environmental impact statements law that propose any development that would impact wetlands or natural stormwater infrastructure.

Requires the department of public safety, in collaboration with the department of human services, to develop and establish a program to train incarcerated nonviolent individuals in the area of social work. Requires progress reports on the program to the legislature. Appropriates funds.

Prohibits a landlord from terminating certain tenancies without just cause. Requires a landlord to provide relocation assistance or waive the last month's rent when terminating a tenancy for no-fault just cause. Restricts how much and how often a landlord may increase an existing tenant's rent. Establishes the Hawaii rent board to oversee annual rent increases and conduct rental arbitrations, mediations, and investigative hearings on reports of wrongful evictions. Establishes a rent stabilization special fund, to be funded by a separate fee assessed on rental units to support the activities of the Hawaii rent board.

Establishes a penalty for landlord violations of the residential landlord-tenant code. Establishes minimum notice requirements for landlords terminating rental agreements. Limits the allowable amount for landlord rent increases annually. Requires landlords to pay tenants when terminating or refusing to renew a rental agreement.

Beginning July 1, 2022, requires all new or renewed contract agreements with out-of-state correctional facilities to include provisions modifying the per-diem-per-inmate compensation rate to drop from the full contracted rate to fifty per cent of the contracted rate once the inmate has served the minimum term and requiring all out-of-state facilities to adhere to the same standards of care as in-state facilities, including standards related to segregation of inmates.

Requires DBEDT to provide support services to new businesses. Establishes a separate general excise tax rate for a business's first five years of operation. Exempts a business from paying any fees related to licensing and registration within its first five years of operation. Allows individuals to continue to receive unemployment benefits while in the process of starting a business. Requires the state procurement office to advise government bodies to allocate at least five percent of funding to procure goods and services from new businesses in the State. Prohibits savings and loan associations from requiring a signed confession of judgment from a small business as a condition of receiving a loan.

Requires that all court records of any eviction proceeding be sealed within specified timeframes upon resolution of the proceeding. Authorizes the court to seal certain eviction records prior to the expiration of these timeframes upon motion by a tenant who is able to demonstrate that certain conditions apply. Requires the clerk of the court to provide access to sealed eviction records to the tenant. Makes it a discriminatory practice to require a person to disclose a sealed eviction record as a condition of certain real property transactions. Prohibits discrimination in real property transactions against a person with a sealed eviction record.