Rep. Lisa Kitagawa

Authorizes the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife, to establish the Shade and Fruit Tree Program to support educational activities and encourage propagation of native shade trees and fruit trees for planting in Department of Education schools. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Specifies that the driver of a vehicle must wait until a pedestrian has crossed half of the crosswalk plus an additional lane of the roadway before the driver can proceed.

Requires the Department of Health to develop by 12/31/2026, standardized educational materials relating to lung cancer screening and language on lung cancer screening information to be included in signage and written notices to be used by retailers of tobacco products. Beginning 1/1/2027, requires retailers engaged in the retail sale of tobacco products to display signage on lung cancer screening at each point of sale and provide written notice on lung cancer screening to each buyer of a tobacco product.

Requires the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to establish the Hawaii Made IT Program to certify local information technology vendors for use by state and county agencies in procurement. Establishes vendor requirements. Establishes reporting requirements.

Requires the Department of Education to give reasonable consideration to making all or portions of the facilities of a public school available to housing development for certain employees of the Department when closing the public school. Requires the Department of Education to identify unused public school facilities that may be appropriate for employee housing and inventory suitable grounds available upon public school closure for potential development of employee housing.

Prohibits binding agreements preventing the installation of a portable plug-in solar generation device on any residential dwelling, subject to certain requirements.

Prohibits minimum off-street parking requirements for new developments or redevelopment projects located in transit‑oriented development infrastructure improvement program areas. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires persons who sell or offer plants for sale at retail to provide information on the risk of invasiveness of the plant species. Requires the Invasive Species Council to develop a labeling system for plants that displays the plants' weed risk assessments. Establishes fines for violations. Effective 1/1/2027.

Requires financial institutions to establish policies for identifying financial exploitation and the training of employees. Establishes procedures for reporting suspected financial exploitation. Requires financial institutions to delay transactions, and allows freezes on assets, when there is suspected financial exploitation. Provides immunity from liability for financial institutions for any action, determination, omission, or practice related to this Act.

Maddy summaryHB 2373 establishes a two-year pilot program providing free public transit rides ("Keiki Fare-Free") for children (defined as under 18) on Oahu and Kauai. The bill directly affects young riders using public transit on those islands, eliminating fare costs for this group during the pilot period. It includes specific funding appropriations to cover the cost of the free rides, ensuring the program is financially supported. The legislation focuses on making transit more accessible for families and children in these specific locations, with no broader statewide implementation planned.