Requires the department of education to equip all classroom doors with interior locks, maintain a public address system, feature an emergency access route, and maintain fire alarms. Mandates the establishment of school emergency plans. Requires schools conduct regular testing and emergency preparedness drills. Appropriates funds.
Establishes the Insurance Affordability Assistance Pilot Program within the Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to assist eligible homeowners with sudden increases in property insurance premiums. Sunsets 6/30/2028.
Clarifies the requirements for the secure storage of firearms. Amends the offense of criminally negligent storage of a firearm to establish felony penalties for when a minor obtains an unsecured firearm and it results in injury or death.
Maddy summaryHB 518, currently pending in the 2025 session, proposes to prohibit licensed attorneys from representing clients in small claims court. This would directly affect individuals who typically use small claims court for disputes involving lower monetary amounts (like unpaid debts or minor property issues), as they would no longer be able to hire lawyers for these cases. The key provision is a blanket ban on attorney representation in this specific court forum. The bill is still in early stages and has not become law.
Prohibits foreign entities from owning, leasing, or holding a controlling interest in more than an unspecified number of acres of agricultural land. Limits the lease term for agricultural land by foreign entities. Requires foreign entities that own or lease interest in agricultural lands to file an annual report with the Department of Agriculture. Appropriates funds.
Appropriates funds for critical repairs, maintenance, demolition, design, and construction for facilities of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Establishes and appropriates funds for positions within the University of Hawaii for the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Maddy summaryHB 178 appropriates state funds to establish a dedicated "state tea agent" position at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). This bill directly affects UH Mānoa CTAHR by funding a specific staff role focused on tea-related agricultural support. The bill does not change existing laws or regulations but allocates budget resources for this new position. As a funding measure, it is procedural in nature with no broader policy implications.
Appropriates funds for the workforce development council to incorporate and implement a framework for the workforce diversification and expansion of the defense-related workforce in fields such as information technology, cybersecurity, intelligence, data science, and advanced manufacturing.
Prohibits the erection, placement, construction, or maintenance of an encampment within one hundred feet from the property line of a pre-K-12 public or private school or school facility on public or private property. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires the Department of Education to provide free breakfast and lunch to students enrolled in a public school who meet certain requirements. Reduces the amount the Department of Education is authorized to charge for school meals to all students enrolled in department schools to no more than an unspecified portion of the cost of preparing the meals. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
