Sen. Rachele Lamosao

Transfers the Hawaii Child Nutrition Programs Agency from the Department of Education to the Department of Agriculture and codifies its establishment. Establishes a grant program to be administered by the Agency to support the funding of certain initiatives for the State's public schools. Appropriates funds for grants. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Maddy summaryHB 554 designates the day of the second new moon after the winter solstice each year as the state holiday "Lunar New Year." This bill would add Lunar New Year to the state's official holiday calendar, affecting state government operations and potentially public school schedules. The bill specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, meaning it would not impact current or near-future holiday observances. The measure is currently pending committee approval with a recommendation to pass.

Beginning 1/1/2026, requires health insurers, mutual benefit societies, health maintenance organizations, and health plans under the State's Medicaid managed care program to provide coverage for biomarker testing. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires police officers to send a carbon copy of a citation to the registered owner of a vehicle within five business days after the citation is issued. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Makes mandatory the suspension of the driver's license of a driver or registered owner of a vehicle for operating a motor vehicle without a motor vehicle insurance policy.

Applies the existing framework regulating motor carriers onto transportation network companies. Repeals the chapter regulating transportation network companies. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Amends the definition of "employer" in state law that governs payment of wages and other compensation to include the State and counties when a provision in that law has no comparable provision in state law that governs public officers and employees.

Excludes from the definition of "development" used for purposes of coastal zone management the reconstruction of certain structures that were damaged or destroyed in a disaster proclaimed to be a state of emergency or local state of emergency, under certain conditions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires the Department of Education to authorize and facilitate complex areas or individual public schools to form their own farm to school meal programs through partnerships to meet the local farm to school meal goal of thirty per cent of food served in the school to consist of locally sourced products by 2030. Allows the Department of Education to establish a plant-based meal program no later than the 2026-2027 school year. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Appropriates funds for critical repairs, maintenance, demolition, design, and construction for facilities of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Establishes and appropriates funds for positions within the University of Hawaii for the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)