Requires the Director of Taxation to appoint a legal, tax, or accounting professional as an Administrative Rules Officer. Authorizes the Administrative Rules Officer to appoint individuals with suitable experience as Administrative Rules Specialists.
Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to develop an alternative pathway for a visiting international educator permit aligned to the duration of the educator's J-1 visa program. Repeals 6/30/2031. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Maddy summarySB 2298 requires common interest communities (like homeowner associations) to include specific language on proxy forms about how owners can select representatives for meetings. This directly affects community members who use proxies to vote on behalf of their property. The bill mandates clearer disclosure of proxy selection options in the forms themselves, ensuring owners understand their choices. The bill is currently pending committee review after its January 2026 introduction.
Requires each purchasing agency to provide justification for hiring external consultants. Requires each agency to seek approval from the Legislature for consulting contracts exceeding a certain dollar amount. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Requires the Compliance Audit Unit within the Office of the Auditor to conduct regular audits of agency consultant contracts to assess cost-effectiveness and compliance. Establishes exceptions. Requires each chief procurement officer to ensure that inherent government functions are not delegated to a contractor. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD2)
Specifies that all condominium associations, boards, and managing agents are required to comply with any applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Establishes a working group within the Judiciary to improve family court processes, including access to legal representation for youth in the child welfare system. Appropriates funds. (SD1)
Prohibits any person from providing advisory, negotiation, or procurement assistance to or on behalf of a student athlete relating to endorsements; promotional or marketing services; appearances; autographs; social media branding; content creation or distribution; licensing of publicity rights; brand development, sponsorship, or promotional arrangements; or agreements related to the name, image, or likeness of the student athlete, without being a registered athlete agent in the State and having a valid agency contract executed in compliance with applicable law. (SD1)
Extends for five years certain provisions from Act 19, SLH 2020, and Act 238, SLH 2021, relating to abuse of family or household members, including establishing a petty misdemeanor offense of abuse of family or household members, clarifying penalties for violations, and allowing a deferred acceptance of guilty plea for misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor abuse of family or household members offenses. Effective 6/29/2026.
Requires the Board of Regents to expend funds appropriated to renew, improve, or modernize existing University of Hawaii facilities for only those purposes and not for current, ongoing, or anticipated capital improvement projects. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. (SD1)
Maddy summarySB 2659 prohibits current employees of the University of Hawaii or the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii from serving on the Board of Regents. This bill directly affects active staff members at these institutions who might otherwise be eligible for board appointments. The key provision is a clear legal ban preventing such employees from holding board positions, aiming to avoid potential conflicts of interest. The bill is currently in committee review, having passed its first reading and scheduled for a public hearing on February 9, 2026.
