Exempts the tax collected on the sale of groceries that are eligible under the supplemental nutrition assistance program or special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, regardless of the means of purchase and the program eligibility of the purchaser.
Repeals existing law that preempted local ordinances or regulations that regulate the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices and nullified and voided any conflicting local laws and regulations. Allows counties to adopt ordinances that regulate the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices that do not conflict with and are more stringent than the state law that govern smoking.
Maddy summaryHB 178 appropriates state funds to establish a new position for a state tea agent at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). This bill directly affects UH Manoa's CTAHR program by funding a dedicated specialist focused on tea agriculture. The key mechanism is a budget allocation to create this role, supporting research and outreach related to tea cultivation in Hawaii. The bill is procedural, focusing on funding a specific staff position rather than changing laws.
Maddy summaryHB 87 requires all public schools in the state to provide free breakfast and lunch to every enrolled student beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. The bill allocates state funds to cover the cost of these meals, ensuring schools can implement the program without additional local funding burdens. This policy directly affects all public school students and their school districts, which must adopt the universal meal program using the designated state appropriations. The legislation creates a concrete, statewide change in school nutrition access without specifying eligibility criteria.
Establishes a Desalination Planning Task Force to examine the feasibility of, and develop a plan and timeline for, the use desalination as a source of potable water in the State.
Prohibits any person from charging any fees on a transient accommodation or resort time share vacation interest, plan, or unit that were not disclosed before the time of purchase. Requires a person to clearly and conspicuously display a rate or price that includes all fees to be charged at the time of purchase in each advertisement for a transient accommodation or resort time share vacation interest, plan, or unit. Requires any taxes and fees that are displayed as a percentage of the cost on a booking transaction also be displayed as a dollar amount at the time of purchase.
Increases the state supplemental payment ceilings for type I adult residential care homes, licensed developmental disabilities domiciliary homes, community care foster family homes, certified adult foster homes, and type II adult residential care homes.
Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, requires the Department of Education to include the teaching of financial literacy in the personal transition plan requirement for each student.
Permanently increases the state earned income tax credit to fifty per cent of the federal earned income tax credit. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024.
Prohibits covered entities in the State from entering into contracts with drug manufacturers that limit the covered entities' use of contract pharmacies. Voids contract provisions for certain drugs if the provisions are based on the maximum allowable cost payment model. Authorizes the attorney general to bring a civil action for violations.
