Sen. Breene Harimoto

Clarifies the allowable and prohibited practices and training requirements for dental assistants.

Beginning with the primary election in 2018, requires the office of elections to implement election by mail in a county with a population of fewer than 100,000 and beginning with the 2020 primary election, implement election by mail in each of the other counties for all elections. Establishes an election by mail system, including requirements for ballots, replacement ballots, deficient return of ballots, electronic transmission of replacement ballots under certain circumstances, ballot counting, voter service centers, places of deposit, and election expenses and responsibilities. Establishes procedures for postponed elections. Makes conforming amendments to provide for an election by mail system. Allows voters in an election by mail system to request that their ballots be temporarily forwarded to another address in or outside of the State for a single election or a primary or special primary election and the election immediately following it. Appropriates funds for the implementation and administration of the elections by mail program. Requires the office of elections to submit annual reports to the legislature from 2018 to 2024 regarding implementing the elections by mail program. Takes effect on 1/7/2059. (SD1)

Allows the HHFDC to negotiate leases for multi-family residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects on public lands for terms in excess of sixty-five years but not exceeding ninety-nine years. Gives the lessee a right of first refusal following a public auction at the termination of the lease; provided that the lessee matches the highest lease rental bid offered. (SD1)

Requires the department of education to provide training on social and emotional learning to all youth-serving educators, health care professionals and counselors, and agencies and programs, as well as parents of students enrolled in public schools or public charter schools. Appropriates funds to the department of education to conduct training on social and emotional learning.

Allows use of the special land and development fund for the management, maintenance, and development of state parks, beaches, and other natural resources. Allocates two per cent of the transient accommodations tax to the special land and development fund category for the management, maintenance, and development of trails and trail access, state parks, beaches, and other natural resources. (SD1)

Appropriates funds for a permanent full-time associate professor and permanent full-time associate specialist position within the University of Hawaii center on aging. Effective 5/12/2059. (SD1)

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for construction and infrastructure development projects to provide affordable housing units for middle class and low income residents. Allows moneys from the conveyance tax and the county surcharge on state tax to be used to repay the bonds.

Makes an appropriation, subject to the availability of matching funds, to UH to conduct any studies necessary to ascertain the feasibility and benefits of establishing a small satellite launch and processing facility in the State, as well as to conduct any related public outreach programs.

Requires the Hawaii housing finance and development corporation to coordinate with other state agencies to develop lands owned or administered by the State within one mile of transit station sites. Requires that developments on parcels or groups of contiguous parcels of state land with an area of at least ten acres include a certain percentage of affordable housing units reserved for residents or families at specific income levels. (SD1)

Specifies that certain provisions of the Internal Revenue Code related to at-risk rules and deductions and to passive activity loss do not apply with respect to claims for the state low-income housing tax credit. Appropriates funds to establish one position in the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to oversee the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program.