Rep. Cedric Gates

Authorizes the department of education to directly accept private funding for the purpose of establishing public prekindergarten programs under certain circumstances. Establishes the Hawaii early childhood educator stipend program to address shortage of early childhood education educators. Establishes the Hawaii early childhood educator special fund. Extends certain effective dates for implementation of Act 46, SLH 2020. Requires the application of a uniform assessment for public and charter school kindergarten students. Allows educational data to be shared using an existing system. Appropriates funds. Repeals and abolishes the Hawaii early childhood educator special fund on 6/30/2023. (CD1)

Clarifies when and how members or partners of a taxpayer may claim the low-income housing tax credit. Requires a Form 8609 for purposes of claiming the tax credit. Specifies the application of tax provisions with respect to buildings or projects placed in service after 12/31/2020. Extends the sunset date of Act 129, Session Laws of Hawaii 2016, to 12/31/2027. (CD1)

Allows the board of land and natural resources to adopt, amend, or repeal administrative fee schedules for certain activities related to state parks through regular or special board meetings rather than through administrative rulemaking. (CD1)

Establishes an affordable homeownership revolving fund within HHFDC to provide loans to nonprofit community development financial institutions and nonprofit housing development organizations for the development of affordable homeownership housing projects. Appropriates American Rescue Plan Act funds for fiscal year 2022-2023 for providing loans to nonprofit community development financial institutions and nonprofit housing development organizations for the development of affordable homeownership housing projects. (CD1)

Reorganizes and integrates the land use commission within a modified office of planning, which is renamed as the office of planning and sustainable development. (CD1)

Establishes a framework for the regulation of electric foot scooters by the State and counties. Amends definitions of "moped" to exclude electric foot scooters. Retains personal injury protection benefits for any individual sustaining injuries while using or operating an electric foot scooter. (SD2)

Amends the statewide traffic code to allow for the county chiefs of police to designate county employees to issue citations for traffic violations. (SD1)

Provides courts with greater discretion to adjust the payment of fees or fines for violations of certain traffic offenses based on the person's inability to pay or financial circumstances. Decreases the imprisonment term to contumacious nonpayment ratio. Increases the amount of credit given to a person committed for contumacious nonpayment. (CD1)

Eliminates the requirement for a public utility to seek approval from the public utilities commission for the underground construction of high-voltage electric transmission lines if certain conditions are met. (SD1)

Requires the department of human resources development to review the classification and compensation schedules for telephone and emergency dispatchers and similar employees and to submit a report to the legislature recommending modifications to those classification and compensation schedules. (CD1)