Rep. Lisa Marten

Requires the Office of the Ombudsman to publish an annual report on its website that identifies the number and nature of complaints that it receives regarding the Child Welfare Services Branch of the Department of Human Services. Requires the Child Welfare Services Branch to provide notification to certain parties that complaints can also be filed with the Office of the Ombudsman. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

Prohibits officers, senior employees, consultants, and immediate family members of state or county contractors from contributing to candidate committees or noncandidate committees for the duration of the contract. Provides that if any unlawful contribution is not returned to the contributor within 30 days, the unlawful contribution shall escheat to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund.

Authorizes the Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund to be used to provide financial assistance to underserved ratepayers, in addition to other eligible borrowers. Appropriates funds into and out of the Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Maddy summaryHB 625 establishes a state-funded incentive program to attract and retain nationally certified school psychologists in public schools. It directly affects qualified school psychologists by providing financial incentives through appropriated state funds. The bill creates a mechanism where eligible psychologists receive annual payments upon meeting certification and employment requirements. The program is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 3000, and recently passed the Education Committee with 10 supportive votes. This is a funding-based policy change focused on addressing staffing needs in school mental health services.

Establishes and appropriates funds for student transportation coordinators positions within the Department of Education to strengthen student transportation services across the State. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Imposes a cap on charges for searching for, reviewing, and segregating government records under the Uniform Information Practices Act. Provides for a waiver of fees in certain circumstances when the public interest is served by a government record's disclosure.

Creates a process for expediting the review of majority-residential mixed-use transit-oriented development or residential transit-oriented development on certain parcels within county-designated transit-oriented development zones that have a low risk of affecting historically significant resources. Authorizes lead agencies, including county governments, to make determinations on the potential effects of a project. Creates a ninety-day limit, or thirty-day if no historic property is to be affected, to concur or not concur with project effect determinations. Exempts projects with written concurrence from further review unless there is a change to the project or additional historic properties, aviation artifacts, or burial sites are identified within the project area. Establishes notice and reporting requirements if there is a change to the project or additional historic properties, aviation artifacts, or burial sites are identified within the project area after the initial written concurrence. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Establishes a fee based on the total expenditures or disbursements made by noncandidate committees within a calendar year. Establishes a process for verification and review of proposed electioneering communications. Establishes a minimum font size for certain information that must be included on campaign advertisements.

Requires the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to study the feasibility of implementing a "buy clean" decarbonization policy and program in Hawaii. Requires administrative and substantive support from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Expands the scopes of practice for occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech pathologists employed by or contracted with the Department of Education to diagnose students with a medical condition in an educational setting and treat the students. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)