Rep. Nicole Lowen

Establishes the University of Hawaii Promise Program to provide scholarships for the unmet direct cost needs of qualified students enrolled at any campus of the University of Hawaii system or any community college campus. Appropriates funds to establish and implement the program. Creates a special fund. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Establishes the Mauna Kea Management Authority and membership of the Authority. Establishes and specifies duties of the Mauna Kea candidate advisory council. Limits the number of telescopes that may be authorized on Mauna Kea. Authorizes the renegotiation of leases, subleases, easements, permits, and licenses pertaining to Mauna Kea. Requires that revenue derived from activities on Mauna Kea be shared with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, as well as used for educational and other community purposes. Excludes Mauna Kea lands from the definition of "public lands". Provides for free access to Mauna Kea for traditional cultural purposes. Establishes police powers and provides for enforcement of laws on land under the jurisdiction of the Mauna Kea Management Authority. Appropriates funds. Takes effect on 12/31/2033. (SD2)

Requires the City and County of Honolulu to transfer to the Department of Education all property upon which a public elementary or intermediate school is situated. Gives the Department of Education power to acquire and hold title to real, personal, or mixed property for use for public educational purposes. Requires legislative approval prior to the sale or gift of lands to which the Department of Education holds title. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD2)

Changes the annual contribution and deduction amounts, aggregate contribution amount, and deadline for distributing the entire interest for individual housing accounts established after 12/31/2018; allows community development financial institutions to serve as trustees of individual housing accounts established after 12/31/2018; and requires homebuyer education as a condition of distribution of funds in individual housing accounts by trustees. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD2)

Establishes the plastic pollution initiative with the mission to eliminate plastic waste impacting native species and polluting the State's environment. Establishes the Plastic Pollution Advisory Council to collect data regarding plastic pollution and provide recommendations to eliminate plastic waste. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Makes an appropriation to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the operational expenses and staffing costs of the Hawaii Association of Conservation Districts. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Expands the rental assistance program by increasing the minimum percentage of affordable units a rental housing project is required to maintain for eligible tenants from 20 percent to 30 percent. Decreases the qualifying maximum ceiling from 80 percent to 30 percent of the area median income for a family or individual to be an eligible tenant under the rental assistance program. Appropriates moneys to support new rental assistance program contracts. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD2)

Requires the Department of Agriculture to conduct a feasibility study on the establishment of ag-tech zones within the City and County of Honolulu. Appropriates funds for conducting the feasibility study. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Requires the Legislative Reference Bureau to update its 1985 study on environmental reorganization for Hawaii and assess the feasibility of implementing the findings and recommendations of the 1991 Department of Environmental Protection Task Force. Makes an appropriation. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)