Rep. Nicole Lowen

Requires the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office to conduct a statewide environmental assessment for, and subsequently administer, a slim-hole resource characterization program under the direction of the Hawaiʻi Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center at the University of Hawaiʻi. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Replaces the position of Deputy to the Chairperson of the Commission on Water Resource Management with the position of Executive Officer, who shall be appointed and managed by the Commission. Authorizes the Commission on Water Resource Management to retain independent legal counsel. Makes the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources an ex officio member of the Commission on Water Resource Management and provides that the Commission shall elect a chairperson from among its non ex officio members. Requires the Commission on Water Resource Management and Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish procedures and safeguards to avoid conflicts of interest. Effective 6/29/3000. (HD1)

Requires the owner or operator of each waste combustion facility or municipal solid waste landfill to develop a plan to implement continuous monitoring and sampling technologies for the purposes of collecting data regarding emissions. Requires a publicly available website hosted by the Department of Health to track and display data collected on emissions. Requires the Department of Health to adjust permit limits for air contaminants based on emissions data collected. Requires reports to the legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes a cesspool conversion on-bill financing program to be administered by the Hawaiʻi green infrastructure authority to provide low-interest loans to eligible homeowners for the upgrade, conversion, or connection of cesspools.

Authorizes and appropriates funds to the Department of Health to retain qualified consultants as necessary to identify necessary public outreach and education resources and tools and develop a comprehensive public outreach strategy and website to educate homeowners and wastewater industry professionals about information and resources regarding the State's cesspool upgrade, conversion, and connection requirements and deadlines. Requires that mandatory seller disclosures in real estate transactions include whether the property has a cesspool, including the date by which state law mandates that the cesspool be upgraded, converted, or connected, and the priority level of the cesspool according to the Hawaiʻi cesspool hazard assessment and prioritization tool.

Establishes a private roads task force to identify and facilitate the repair and transfer of certain private or disputed roads to the appropriate government agency.

Establishes a task force on ethical policing to evaluate the efficacy and impact of Weed and Seed programs. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Creates a School Psychologists Working Group to recommend actionable steps or propose legislation for an immediate pathway to licensure for school psychologists that can be acted upon in 2025. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Amends Act 153, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2022, to increase the cesspool compliance pilot grant project grant amount and update a reference. Appropriates funds for fiscal year 2024-2025 and to establish positions to implement the pilot grant project.

Appropriates funds to the Department of Education to assist individuals in obtaining a commercial driver's license for the purpose of becoming school bus drivers. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)