Sen. Karl Rhoads

Requires the design of all new state building construction where parking is to be included to provide that at least twenty-five per cent of parking stalls be electric vehicle charger-ready. Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office, in consultation with the Department of Accounting and General Services and Department of Transportation, to conduct a survey and identify certain high-priority state facilities. Establishes a goal of the State to retrofit state facilities to be electric vehicle charger-ready. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Maddy summarySB 1098 appropriates state funds to the Department of Human Services to provide emergency shelter and services for unaccompanied homeless youth. This bill directly affects young people aged 12-24 who are homeless without family or guardians. The key mechanism is the allocation of dedicated funding to ensure immediate access to safe housing and support services. The bill focuses on concrete funding for emergency needs, not broader systemic changes. It does not specify additional eligibility criteria or long-term program requirements beyond the emergency services provision.

Permanently increases the state earned income tax credit to fifty per cent of the federal earned income tax credit. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024.

Prohibits lodging establishments in the State from providing personal care products packaged in small plastic containers in any sleeping room accommodations, space within sleeping room accommodations, and bathrooms used by the public or guests. Establishes civil penalties.

Establishes the Office of Gun Violence Prevention to conduct community outreach on gun violence prevention, develop and administer a grant program for gun violence prevention, and develop and administer a gun violence resource bank. Establishes the Gun Violence Prevention Special Fund and appropriates funds into and out of the special fund. Appropriates funds.

Allows tenants who prevail in a lawsuit for a violation of the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code to be awarded damages, reasonable attorney's fees, and costs of the suit.

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.

Appropriates funds to increase the funding for Medicaid in-home services, conditioned on the Department of Human Services obtaining the maximum federal matching funds.

Requires individuals denied a firearm permit or otherwise disqualified from possessing firearms and certain defendants to provide a sworn statement that the individual has disposed of any firearms and ammunition in the individual's possession. Requires the applicable chief of police to search firearm permit and registration records for those individuals before serving a protective order or restraining order involving firearms or ammunition, and to seize any firearms or ammunition that were not disposed of. Requires police to seize firearms and ammunition in domestic abuse cases that are in plain view of the officer or discovered by consensual search.

Appropriates funds for the Office of the Governor, in collaboration with the Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, to strengthen existing hurricane shelters and develop new hurricane shelters to withstand category five hurricanes.