Rep. Garner Shimizu

Establishes a Civic Education Grant Program to provide support to public middle and intermediate schools in providing civic education to students through department approved programming. Establishes a Civic Education Trust Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Authorizes state agencies to implement automatic voter registration if designated by the Office of Elections. Requires eligible applicants for instruction permits, provisional licenses, driver's licenses, and identification cards to be automatically registered or preregistered to vote unless the applicant opts out. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes the sustainable tourism infrastructure matching grant program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to support one-time capital investments that advance measurable sustainability and climate resilience outcomes within the State's visitor industry. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Increases the fee amount collected from taxpayers claiming the Motion Picture, Digital Media, and Film Production Income Tax Credit and requires a portion of funds collected to be used to support the vertical film industry in the State. Expands the funding sources of the Hawaii Film and Creative Industries Development Special Fund to include revenues received by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism from managing the Hawaii Film Studio. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026. Repeals 1/1/2033. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Permanently establishes the Small Business Procurement Program and Small Business Procurement Coordinator position within the State Procurement Office. Requires purchasing agencies to apply a local preference to Hawaii businesses in evaluating contracts awarded by competitive sealed bidding or competitive sealed proposals. Establishes criteria for a Hawaii business to qualify for a local preference. Establishes procedures for contract awardees who fail to meet or maintain the preference criteria. Establishes a special fund and requires the Small Business Procurement Coordinator to establish rules and policies, effective 1/1/2029, requiring small businesses to commit to contributing 0.2 per cent of state contract awards to the special fund. Repeals the Small Business Assistance Initiative established in Act 168, SLH 2022. Appropriates funds for the Small Business Procurement Coordinator. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Expands programming and training for the comprehensive offender reentry program under the department of corrections and rehabilitation to reduce the rate of recidivism and increase inmate marketability. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires, rather than authorizes, the Department of Education to develop and administer a Traffic Safety Education Program. Requires the Department of Education's Traffic Safety Education program to include electric bicycles. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

For taxable years beginning 1/1/2027, increases the maximum annual deduction for contributions to, and maximum account levels for, individual housing accounts.

Beginning 1/1/2027, establishes a yearly reduction in the general excise tax rate on groceries and nonprescription drugs on a tiered schedule until 1/1/2034, when a full general excise tax exemption applies. Beginning 1/1/2027, prohibits the counties from imposing a county surcharge on groceries and nonprescription drugs. Beginning 1/1/2028, provides a general excise tax exemption on the wholesale sale of groceries and nonprescription drugs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Appropriates funds for Department of Hawaiian Home Lands projects eligible for general fund revenues that are generated by increases in transient accommodations tax collections and intended to be expended equally across projects related to natural resources, climate resilience, and destination management. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)