Rep. Trish La Chica

Clarifies that the School Facilities Authority is responsible for projects for facilities for prekindergarten, preschool, child care, and early learning programs; workforce housing; and any public school development, planning, and construction assigned by the Legislature, Governor, or Board of Education. Allows the School Facilities Authority to use the Department of Education for certain recruitment and hiring responsibilities. Allows the School Facilities Authority to partner with public and private development agencies to develop prekindergarten, preschool, child care, and early learning program facilities. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Specifies for a county with a population of more than two hundred thousand but less than five hundred thousand, that the State or county may repair or maintain any street of which the ownership or jurisdiction is in dispute between the State and county. Specifies that the State or county that repaired or maintained the street may only be held liable for acts or omissions arising out of the repair or maintenance of that street that the State or county performed at any time. Deems that repair or maintenance of a street shall not confer ownership or jurisdiction over such street if the ownership or jurisdiction over the street is in dispute between the State and the county. Sunsets 7/1/2030. (CD1)

Maddy summaryHB 505 establishes a dedicated WAI Policy Coordinator to manage Red Hill-related initiatives and creates a Red Hill Remediation Special Fund to finance cleanup efforts. The bill directly affects Red Hill remediation projects by providing a centralized role for coordination and a dedicated funding source. Key provisions include appointing the coordinator to oversee initiatives and directing the special fund to support remediation activities without specifying project details. The bill is currently under review by the committee with a recommendation to pass.

Requires the Chief Election Officer to provide a system for the electronic filing of nomination papers. Requires that the system for the electronic filing of nomination papers be provided at no additional cost to the filer. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2028. (CD1)

Maddy summaryHB 110 adjusts existing targets and deadlines for the Department of Education to source locally grown food products for schools. It modifies the current timeline and specific goals the department must meet for purchasing locally produced agricultural items. The bill directly affects schools and the Department of Education by changing how they implement local food procurement requirements. These changes streamline the process without introducing new funding or penalties for compliance. The bill passed committee with amendments and is now moving forward in the legislative process.

Maddy summaryHB 862 allows school districts to use motorcoaches, small buses, and vans for student transportation services, provided they meet specific safety and operational requirements. This bill directly affects public school districts that rely on transportation services for students. The key provision expands the types of vehicles eligible for school bus use beyond standard school buses, while requiring compliance with established safety standards. The bill passed committee with amendments in February 2025 but has not yet become law.

Requires the Department of Health to conduct a statewide needs assessment to determine what will be needed to reduce waste generation, increase reuse, improve recycling collection services, and expand local processing of materials through an extended producer responsibility program for packaging materials and paper products. Establishes an advisory council to review the draft needs assessment and propose recommendations throughout the assessment process. Requires the Department of Health to hold a public hearing on the draft needs assessment and complete and submit the needs assessment to the Legislature by 12/31/2027. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Beginning 1/1/2026, increases the cigarette tax from 16 cents to 18 cents and amends the disposition of cigarette tax revenues by allocating the increase in the cigarette tax amount to the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund, with a portion to be used exclusively for debt service of capital expenditures and building maintenance. Effective 12/31/2025. (CD1)

Increases the domiciliary care rates for certain providers and clarifies that the needs allowance and domiciliary care rates are included in the state supplemental payment ceiling amounts. Effective 10/1/2025. (CD1)

Allows a retirant to be employed without reenrollment in the Employees' Retirement System and without loss or interruption of benefits under the System or the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund if the retirant is employed in a position needed for succession planning, as a law enforcement officer stationed at a public school as a resource officer, as an investigator, or in a management position excluded from collective bargaining, subject to certain conditions. Requires the director of human resources of the appropriate state jurisdiction or the human resources management chief executive of each county to include in their annual reports to the Legislature details on the employment of retirants as school resource officers or investigators. (SD2)