Rep. Trish La Chica

Designates student transportation as critical infrastructure and a critical service for Hawaii's public education system. Requires all school bus contracts between the State and the contractor to include certain standards, performance metrics, and accountability requirements to prevent service disruptions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires the Department of Education to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students enrolled in department schools. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Raises the minimum age to enter into marriage from sixteen to eighteen years of age. Repeals the authority of parents and the family court to consent to a minor's marriage. Repeals spousal cohabitation after the parties attain legal age as an exception for an annulment based on nonage. Repeals exemptions for sexual assault of a minor if the perpetrator is married to the minor. Makes conforming amendments. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Establishes the Agricultural Enforcement Program within the Department of Law Enforcement. Establishes the Agricultural Enforcement Special Fund. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Prohibits the Department of Human Services from using any social security income payments, including supplemental income payments it receives on behalf of a child under foster custody of the Department to cover the cost of foster care services. Requires the Department of Human Services to deposit all social security income payments received on behalf of a child under foster custody of the Department into a savings account that shall be made accessible to the child when the child leaves foster care custody.

Requires the Director of Human Resources Development, in consultation with the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Hawaii State Energy Office, and Department of Accounting and General Services, to develop and implement a comprehensive Commuting Choice Benefit Program for all state employees regardless of mode of transportation. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires corporations, organizations, or individuals engaging to commercial transactions or trade practices to clearly and conspicuously notify consumers when the consumer is interacting with an artificial intelligence chatbot or other technology capable of mimicking human behaviors, with certain exemptions. Requires developers that sell, offer for sale, advertise, or make available artificial intelligence chatbots to disclose that their chatbots use artificial intelligence. Authorizes private rights of action. Establishes statutory penalties. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires the Board of Education to adopt a policy that bans the use of phones and related devices by students during school hours. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes the Hawaii Home Energy Assistance Program within the Department of Human Services to assist households in paying their energy bills. Requires the Public Utilities Commission's Public Benefits Fee Administrator to provide information and technical assistance about available energy efficiency programs to recipients of the program. Appropriates funds.

Allows the Department of Health to use money in the Deposit Beverage Container Deposit Special Fund to deploy reverse vending machines. Repeals certain exemptions for beverage dealers from the requirement to operate redemption centers. Allows for the establishment of regional centers for the redemption of refillable beverage containers but not as substitutes for dealers' means to receive deposit beverage containers. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)