Rep. Amy Perruso

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the state auditor to evaluate the social and financial impacts of mandating health insurance coverage for prosthetic and orthotic devices, as proposed in House Bill 1536. The assessment will focus on how requiring insurance to cover these devices would affect Hawaii residents with limb loss, limb differences, or mobility impairments, particularly regarding access to activity-specific prostheses. The auditor must analyze costs, benefits, and potential changes to health outcomes, including secondary conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and consider federal Affordable Care Act requirements. The final report will be submitted to the legislature before the 2027 session to inform future policy decisions.

Establishes the Spay and Neuter Special Fund to reduce pet overpopulation, including the free-roaming cat population, and authorizes an income tax designation to provide revenues into the special fund. Requires cats over five months of age to be surgically sterilized unless covered by an intact cat declaration, and conditions the importation of intact cats on state and county declaration requirements, with certain exceptions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Establishes an income tax credit for automated external defibrillator devices that are installed and placed in service in certain places of public accommodation located in the State, subject to registration requirements. Authorizes the Department of Health to establish a statewide automated external defibrillator registry to collect and maintain certain information. Requires the owner or operator of an automated external defibrillator located in a place of public accommodation to conduct certain maintenance. Requires reporting of certain automated external defibrillator data to the Department of Health. Requires the Department of Health to coordinate with certain entities. Requires the Department of Health to request funds from the 911 Fund for the establishment and maintenance of the automated external defibrillator registry. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Prohibits the assessment of any fees, fines, or court costs against a person who was adjudicated for an offense committed during the person's minority, or against the person's parent or guardian, and discharges all related debt obligations assessed before the effective date of the Act. Encourages the use of community service and other programs that employ aina-based principles. Repeals certain penalties imposed on parents, guardians, or other persons associated with unaccompanied children in streets and unmarried minors in dance halls. (SD1)

Maddy summaryHB 1880 prohibits the use or application of pesticides containing 1,3-dichloropropene (such as Telone) starting January 1, 2027. This bill directly affects agricultural producers and pest control professionals who currently use these specific pesticides for soil treatment. The key provision bans the active ingredient 1,3-dichloropropene in all pesticide products, requiring alternative methods by the 2027 deadline. It does not restrict all pesticides but targets this particular chemical compound. The bill is currently moving through committee with committee support for passage.

Amends the Emergency Medical Services Special Fund by authorizing the deposit of revenues from billable emergency medical services. Amends the composition and allowable uses of the special fund. Establishes a cap on the unencumbered and unexpended balance in the special fund. Exempts expenditures from the special fund from chapters 103D and 103F, HRS. Discontinues the allocation of cigarette tax revenues to the special fund beginning 1/1/2027. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Amends the Motion Picture, Digital Media, and Film Production Income Tax Credit (film tax credit) by providing additional credits to qualified productions that have a workforce of at least eighty per cent local hires in the first taxable year or second consecutive taxable year and meet other specific requirements, then increasing the local workforce threshold to eighty-two per cent in the third or fourth consecutive taxable year and eighty-five per cent in the fifth consecutive taxable year, that the additional credit is claimed; requiring independent third-party certification of qualified production costs for all film productions claiming the film tax credit; authorizing DBEDT to waive the credit cap per qualified production for one qualified production each fiscal year; and requiring the Hawaii Film Office to submit an annual report to the Legislature. Sunsets 1/1/2033. Effective 7/1/3050. (SD1)

Requires merchants that sell cosmetics to accept returns of new or unopened goods within specified timeframes. Clarifies the definition of "conspicuous sign" and expands required placement of return and refund policy signage. Beginning 7/1/2027, requires merchants that receive three or more warning letters from the Office of Consumer Protection of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs for failure to post required signage to display standardized return and refund policy signs provided by the Office. Establishes exemptions for certain merchants. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services to issue supplemental contracts to community-based organizations to address increases in costs related to labor, insurance, utilities, rent, and gas. For any multi-year contracts entered into or renewed beginning in fiscal year 2027-2028, requires the Department of Human Services to issue a Request for Information to determine whether any existing contract remains fiscally sound and thereafter determine, with the consent of the contractor, whether a new request for proposals should be issued. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Establishes the Primary Care Providers Working Group within the State Health Planning and Development Agency to address issues relating to, and develop recommendations for the stabilization of, primary care services in Hawaii. Requires the Working Group to make a report to the Legislature. Sunsets the Working Group on 6/30/2027. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD1)