Appropriates funds for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) grant writer position within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and converts the position from temporary to permanent.
Permits the sale of commercial drink products that contain no more than 10 milligrams of hemp-derived cannabinoids to persons twenty-one years of age or older. Establishes penalties for the sale or furnishing of cannabinoid drink products to, and the purchase or possession of cannabinoid drink products by, persons under twenty-one years of age.
Establishes patient rights with respect to timely access to specialists and referrals and prior authorization determination timelines. Establishes certain requirements for health carriers for prior authorization determinations. Establishes certain requirements for the use of automated decision support tools for claims determinations and utilization review. Requires health carriers to establish certain safeguards for protected health information. Establishes certain reporting requirements for network adequacy. Establishes certain provider protections. Expands the Insurance Commissioner's enforcement authority.
PART I: Authorizes county boards of water supply to produce, use, and sell electricity generated from renewable energy sources. PART II: Authorizes counties to establish a process by which subcounty governing entities can designate funding streams within the county budget and submit budget allocation resolutions to county councils.
Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a Medicaid buy-in program for workers with disabilities. Requires the Department to adopt rules.
Maddy summaryHB 2588 establishes an American Sign Language (ASL) Program at the University of Hawaii and appropriates funding for its operation. The program directly affects University of Hawaii students and future ASL interpreters by providing dedicated educational resources. Key provisions include creating the program structure and allocating state funds for its implementation. This bill represents a concrete policy change to support ASL education at the university level.
Maddy summaryHB 2623 establishes a new tax surcharge on high-income individuals, estates, and trusts, applying to taxable years starting after December 31, 2026. The bill directly affects high earners and large wealth holders by imposing an additional tax on their "wealth proceeds," though specific income thresholds are not detailed in the abstract. Key provisions include defining the tax base as wealth-related income or assets and setting a future effective date to allow for planning. The bill is currently in early committee review, having been introduced and passed its first reading in January 2026.
Authorizes and appropriates moneys for the Board of Psychology to grant prescriptive authority privilege to clinical psychologists who meet specific education, training, and registration requirements. Requires the Board of Psychology to accept applications for prescriptive authority privilege beginning 7/1/2027. Requires reports to the Legislature.
Maddy summaryHB 2150 removes a specific tax deduction for real estate investment trusts (REITs). It disallows REITs from deducting dividends they pay to shareholders when calculating their taxable income. This change directly affects REITs by increasing their taxable income and potentially raising their tax burden. The bill creates a concrete policy shift in how REITs are taxed under state law.
Prohibits discrimination against a pharmacy or pharmacist with respect to participation, referral, reimbursement of a covered service, or indemnification. Establishes beneficiary cost sharing and deductible requirements for prescription drugs. Establishes minimum rates for which pharmacy benefit managers are to reimburse pharmacies for dispensing prescription drugs. For prescription drug benefit plans executed, amended, adjusted, or renewed on or after 7/1/2027, requires a pharmacy benefit manager to use pass-through pricing, or may alternatively use spread pricing if any savings realized by the pharmacy benefit manager are passed on.
