Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa

Requires cooperative housing corporations, planned community associations, and condominium associations to allow owners to display the Hawaiian flag within the owner's property. Allows reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on Hawaiian flag displays to protect a substantial interest of the association or corporation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Maddy summaryHB 2607 protects individuals' right to publicity by prohibiting the unauthorized use of a person's likeness or voice in AI-generated deepfakes. The bill directly affects people whose image, voice, or persona could be replicated without consent through artificial intelligence. Its key provision bans creating or distributing AI-generated content that mimics a person's identity for commercial or public purposes without permission. This creates a clear legal barrier against non-consensual deepfake exploitation, focusing on preventing harm rather than regulating AI technology broadly.

Establishes a five-year agriculture and biosecurity workforce development pilot program within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii's Leeward Community College, Department of Human Resources Development, and Department of Law Enforcement. Requires a report to the Legislature. 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 health insurance carriers to honor a patient's written assignment of benefits to a substance use disorder treatment provider. Prohibits health insurance contracts from including anti-assignment clauses that restrict or invalidate a patient's right to assign benefits. Authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to adopt rules and take enforcement action to ensure compliance. Requires the Insurance Commissioner to publish an annual summary. Allows providers to bring civil actions to compel payment and obtain injunctive relief, damages, interest, and attorneys' fees for violations. Deems violations to be unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. Requires insurers to furnish an explanation of benefits to the assigned provider upon request.

Establishes limits on transactions through digital financial asset transaction kiosks. Requires operators of digital financial asset transaction kiosks to use blockchain analytics and tracing software to prevent fraud; make certain disclosures; provide receipts to customers; provide full refunds under certain circumstances; and provide live customer service and a dedicated communications line for the Attorney General, Office of Consumer Protection, Department of Law Enforcement, and county police departments.

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.

Establishes the Office of the State Construction Manager within the Department of Accounting and General Services, overseen by the State Construction Manager, to organize, manage, and oversee design review of, and issue design approvals for, state construction projects. Exempts state construction projects from county building permit, inspection, and certificate of occupancy requirements under certain circumstances, as determined by the State Construction Manager. Establishes the Design Review Special Fund and appropriates funds into and out of the fund.

Preserves, as state law, water quality, permitting, and aquatic resource protections that are at least as protective as federal Clean Water Act regulations and standards in effect as of January 1, 2026, and ensures their continued applicability regardless of subsequent federal amendments, repeals, or reductions.

For purposes of permissible uses in agricultural districts, establishes minimum requirements for income received from agricultural activity for a family occupying a farm dwelling. Provides that the definition of a "farm dwelling" includes agricultural activity that is considered a farming operation under section 165-2, HRS, and is conducted on more than 50 per cent of the entire lot.