Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz

Clarifies that funds for bonuses required by statute or collective bargaining shall not be paid out of a charter school's facilities funding or per-pupil funds. Requires, beginning with fiscal year 2018-2019, that such bonuses be separate line items in the budget. Appropriates funds for teacher bonuses for hard-to-fill placement incentives and National Board certified teacher incentives for charter school teachers. (SB199 HD1)

Establishes an Appraisal Management Company Registration Program (Program) within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) to conform to minimum standards established under federal law and regulations. Establishes registration requirements, standards, and penalties for violations. Appropriates funds to the DCCA for costs associated with the Program. (SB390 HD1)

Establishes the agriculture accelerator program to authorize the agribusiness development corporation to provide grants and invest in existing or new agriculture businesses approved by the board of directors of the ADC in return for equity in those agriculture businesses. Establishes an agriculture accelerator special fund to provide funds for the agribusiness development corporation to provide grants to and invest in agriculture businesses under the agriculture accelerator program. Requires a portion of the environmental response, energy, and food security tax to be deposited into the agriculture accelerator special fund. Takes effect 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Requires prompt repair of any damages to the common areas or common elements in a planned community association or condominium. Specifies that if a management company or managing agent is responsible for repairs on an association's behalf and fails to complete the repairs within six months, then the management company or managing agent shall be liable for double the amount of damages. Specifies that when a management company or managing agent fails to pay for damages, the association may deduct that amount from any fees the association owes to the management company or managing agent.

Requires remote schools to be allocated funds using categorical allotments, rather than through the weighted student formula. Defines a remote school as any public school that is a high school located at least a one-hour drive away from the next nearest high school or a high school located on the island of Lanai, Molokai, or Niihau.

Makes subsequent amendments to concession documents subject to sealed bidding requirements. Clarifies that the grant of concession or concession space shall not exceed fifteen years of a remaining term plus any agreed extension of the term. Removes the limitations on the types of airport concessions that are exempt from the public bidding requirements.

Allocates $2,000,000 of annual transient accommodations tax revenues to DHS to contract with provider agencies operating or managing a homeless facility or any other program for homeless persons in tourism-impacted areas. Takes effect 1/1/2018. (SD1)

Amends the appointment process of certain members of the Hawaii Tourism Authority's (Authority) Board of Directors (Board). Clarifies the Authority's reporting and disclosure of specific information. Requires the Board to develop policies and procedures on approving expenditures of excess or carryover funds. (SB1084 HD1)

Requires any report of a study or an audit enacted with a legislative appropriation and conducted by an executive department or agency, including the Hawaii health systems corporation, and by the legislative reference bureau, auditor, judiciary, or Office of Hawaiian Affairs, to be submitted to the senate president, speaker of the house, chairs of the appropriate subject matter committee of each house, and the legislative reference bureau library. Requires a public hearing or informational briefing within one year of receipt of report, except if extension granted to the hearing or briefing requirement by the senate president or speaker of the house of representatives or if the requirement is waived by the senate president or speaker of the house of representative. (SD2)

Requires all school buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than ten thousand pounds purchased, leased, or contracted for use by the State as of July 1, 2019, and thereafter, to be equipped with a seat belt assembly at each designated seating position.