Establishes a Desalination Planning Task Force to examine the feasibility of, and develop a plan and timeline for, the use desalination as a source of potable water in the State. (SD1)
Expands the types of employees protected by the Hawaii Employment Relations Act to include independent contractors and all individuals subject to the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Proposes a constitutional amendment to prohibit discrimination against a person because of ethnicity, age, disability, religion, national ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes. (SD1)
Clarifies that the civil service exemption for personal service contracts for building, custodial, and grounds maintenance services with qualified community rehabilitation programs shall not cost more than $850,000 in the aggregate per private person or entity, regardless of the number of contracts or qualified community rehabilitation programs utilized for the personal service. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Authorizes the Land Use Commission to designate another agency, including the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Department of Agriculture, or Agribusiness Development Corporation, to monitor compliance with any restrictions imposed in a special permit.
Establishes the Emergency Home Loan Assistance Revolving Fund to be administered by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Establishes terms for loans issued from the Revolving Fund. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
Requires the Department of Education to administer a general dyslexia screening to all students in kindergarten through grade three. Requires the Department of Education to continue to administer the general English language arts universal screening for students in kindergarten through grade nine. Requires the Department of Education to collaborate with teacher training programs to ensure prospective candidates are trained on literacy instruction, including evidence-based intervention, to support all students. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Creates an expedited permitting process to authorize the destruction or control of feral pigs on privately owned land, if the feral pigs have caused or are likely to cause substantial damage to agricultural or aquacultural crops, indigenous plants or wildlife, or pose a threat to human health and safety.
Maddy summarySB 500 clarifies labeling and advertising rules for coffee grown and processed entirely within the state, requiring producers to accurately state regional origin. It specifically defines what qualifies as "State-Grown" coffee to prevent misleading claims. This directly affects coffee producers and sellers operating within the state who market their products as locally sourced. The bill establishes clear standards to ensure consumers receive accurate information about the coffee's origin.
Establishes the State's Hospital Price Transparency Act. Prohibits hospitals from taking certain debt collection actions against a patient if the hospital is not in compliance with hospital price transparency laws. Allows patients and patient guarantors to file suit against hospitals in violation. Requires hospitals to make public and post their Medicare reimbursement rates no later than 10/1/25 and deems violations as an unfair and deceptive act or practice. Requires the Department of Health to conduct performance assessments of hospitals for adherence to federal transparency rules annually and make a list of hospitals with poor performance available on its website no later than 2/1/2026. Requires the Department of Health to adopt rules.
