Rep. Elijah Pierick

Exempts food and groceries from certain healthcare-related goods or services that were not the general excise tax. Expands general excise tax exemptions to include purchased under the Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE programs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Continues a licensing scheme for licensed certified midwives and licensed certified professional midwives, to be overseen by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Reestablishes the home birth task force to provide recommendations on issues related to home births. Dissolves the task force on 6/30/2026. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Amends the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, as amended, to authorize the transfer of a living beneficiary's place on the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' waitlist for any residential, agricultural, or pastoral tract to a qualified application successor who is at least one-fourth Hawaiian, if the beneficiary dies. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Redefines "historic property" with respect to the State Historic Preservation Program. Deletes the requirement for an application for a proposed project on an existing privately-owned single-family detached dwelling unit to have a historic preservation review if the unit or townhouse is over fifty years old.

Recognizes prior teaching experience at an equal salary rating for teachers entering or reentering into the service of the Department of Education. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Codifies the board of education's policy for class sizes to promote quality education and positive student-teacher interactions. Informs parents if changes to class sizes are needed.

Pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement negotiated for Bargaining Unit (5) and subject to the availability of funds, provides annual salary step increases for public school teachers who have completed a year's satisfactory service and comply with specified requirements. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Maddy summaryHB 625 establishes a program providing financial incentives to school districts that hire nationally certified school psychologists. It appropriates state funds to support these incentives, directly affecting school districts and school psychologists seeking certification. The key provision is the creation of a reimbursement or bonus system for districts employing psychologists meeting national certification standards. The bill passed committee with amendments on January 30, 2025, and is now moving toward potential floor consideration.

Authorizes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to utilize student education partnerships to increase the amount of mental health care providers in correctional facilities across the State. Appropriates funds.

Requires the counties to adopt the Hawaii state building codes no later than one year after its adoption. Authorizes a county with a population in excess of 500,000 to amend its building energy conservation code to require more stringent energy-saving performance.