Sen. Glenn Wakai

Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish an independent program relating to the prevention, control, and extinguishment of wildland fires within forest reserves. Authorizes the Administrator of Forestry and Wildlife to establish and maintain facilities for the performance of fire protection, fire prevention, pest control, and forest and range protection and enhancement activities. Allows the State Fire Council to amend the State Fire Code to require certain owners and occupants of properties and holders of easements located in hazardous fire areas to maintain effective firebreaks and to practice other fire prevention activities. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish and implement the Community Fuels Reduction Project. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Specifies the appointment processes and terms for the Fire Chief of the Hawaii State Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting Unit of the Airports Division of the Department of Transportation. (CD1)

Expands the powers of the Hawaii Property Insurance Association and reactivates the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund to help stabilize the property insurance market in the State. Establishes the Condominium Loan Program and the Condominium Loan Revolving Fund, to be administered by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority on behalf of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, for the purpose of providing financing for essential repairs and deferred maintenance to condominium associations. Abolishes the Condominium Loan Revolving Fund on 6/30/2047. Establishes the Condominium Loan Loss Reserves Program to incentivize lenders to provide loans at competitive rates and terms to allow condominium associations to make necessary maintenance and repairs. Requires the Insurance Commissioner to conduct a study to develop long-term solutions to help stabilize the property insurance market in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature. Authorizes the issuance of reimbursable general obligation bonds to facilitate the initial issuance of policies to condominium associations. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Beginning 7/1/2026, restricts the use of restrictive housing in state-operated and state-contracted correctional facilities, with certain specified exceptions. Establishes a restrictive housing legislative working group to develop and recommend more comprehensive laws, policies, and procedures regarding restrictive housing for members of vulnerable populations by 1/8/2027. Requires the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission to review restrictive housing placements on an annual basis. Authorizes the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, by 12/1/2027, to implement policies and procedures recommended by the restrictive housing working group related to committed persons. Requires interim and final reports to the Legislature and Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission. (CD1)

Establishes procedures and requirements for single-family and multi-family housing project applicants to apply for an expedited permit, including requirements for completeness of expedited permit applications, duties of licensed professionals and the counties during construction, and applications for owner-builder exemptions. Takes effect 7/1/2026. Sunsets 6/30/2031. (CD1)

Allows the naming rights of the Stadium Facility and Convention Center Facility to be leased to any public or private entity. Requires any revenues derived from advertising or marketing in or on the Stadium Facility or Convention Center Facility to be deposited into the appropriate special fund of the facility. Authorizes the display of the name of any entity that leased the naming rights to a stadium operated by the Stadium Authority on the exterior of the stadium. (CD1)

Beginning 1/1/2027, requires the counties to adopt ordinances for the regulation of retention and detention ponds. Requires the counties to conduct a survey of existing retention and detention ponds and submit a report to the Legislature. (CD1)

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii to establish positions within the University of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine's Department of Geriatric Medicine to coordinate and incorporate training on Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia for health care providers into existing University of Hawaii programs; and review, update, and develop a dementia curriculum to be incorporated into existing University of Hawaii programs with the goal of establishing a local, informed dementia workforce. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. (CD1)

Authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to appoint a receiver to take temporary action necessary to assure continued adequate electric services from failing regulated investor-owned electric utilities. Requires an appointed receiver to recognize and maintain the terms and conditions of any existing collective bargaining agreement and prohibits the receiver from inducing or causing a reduction in force, or terminating a covered employee, other than for a cause consistent with any collective bargaining agreement. (CD1)

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish an installation goal for customer-sited distributed energy resources in the State. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish tariffs to achieve the installation goal and for grid services programs, microgrids, and community-based renewable energy. Ensures that certain levels of compensation are provided for solar and energy storage exports from customer-sited distributed energy resources as part of grid service programs and requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish grid service compensation values. Clarifies when a person who constructs, maintains, or operates a new microgrid is not considered a public utility. Authorizes wheeling of renewable energy and requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish policies and procedures to implement wheeling and microgrid service tariffs. (CD1)