Sen. Glenn Wakai

Maddy summarySB 1499 repeals the Public Utilities Commission's authority to impose fines on electric utility companies that fail to meet renewable energy targets set by existing law. This directly affects utility companies required to source a specific percentage of electricity from renewable sources. The bill removes the financial penalty mechanism for non-compliance but does not change the renewable energy requirements themselves. It is a straightforward policy change that alters enforcement, not the underlying standards.

Requires the Department of Transportation or appropriate county department when disposing of a deceased cat or dog from a public roadway to scan the animal for a microchip, record certain information, and report that information to the appropriate county animal services or animal service contractors. Appropriates funds.

Requires the State to prioritize the installation of photo red light imaging detector systems in school zones if the State establishes a photo red light imaging detector system. Requires proceeds of fines collected for disregarding a steady red signal pursuant to a photo red light imaging detector system installed in a school zone to be deposited into the Safe Routes to School Program Special Fund.

Establishes a Teacher Workforce Housing Stipend Program to support teacher retention at public and charter schools classified as rural and underserved. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Establishes a Journalistic Ethics Commission within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Establishes a Journalistic Code of Ethics. Requires news media outlets to provide training in the ethics of journalism to journalists and editors in their employ. Establishes a Journalistic Ethics Review Board to be administratively attached to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Requires the Journalistic Ethics Review Board to handle complaints and appeals regarding violations of the Journalistic Code of Ethics. Requires the Journalistic Ethics Commission to submit annual reports to the Legislature. Establishes penalties for violations. Requires the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii to conduct an analysis of the journalism program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Social Sciences. Requires the Board of Regents to report to the Legislature.

Establishes the Insurance Affordability Assistance Pilot Program within the Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to assist eligible homeowners with sudden increases in property insurance premiums. Sunsets 6/30/2028.

Establishes within the Office of the State Fire Marshal the Office of the State Search and Rescue Coordinator. Provides for the authority and duties of the State Search and Rescue Coordinator. Establishes the search and rescue special fund. Appropriates moneys.

Establishes and appropriates moneys for the development of a structural integrity assessment program within the Department of Accounting and General Services to inspect certain multi-story structures. Requires the Department of Accounting and General Services to develop a standardized assessment methodology, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii and Department of Land and Natural Resources, for use in program inspections. Requires the program to begin with assessments of structures in South Maui and West Maui. Requires annual reports to the Legislature.

Designates student transportation as critical infrastructure and a critical service for Hawaii's public education system. Requires all school bus contracts between the State and the contractor to include certain standards, performance metrics, and accountability requirements to prevent service disruptions.

Amends the definition of "eligible business activity" for enterprise zone program purposes to include retail sales of tangible personal property manufactured and sold in the enterprise zone that is to be used or consumed by the purchaser and not for resale, the processing of value-added agricultural products grown within an enterprise zone, and the provision of professional services by health care professionals in health care related sectors.