Sen. Rachele Lamosao

Maddy summaryHB 236 raises the minimum age to operate a low-speed electric bicycle from 15 to 16 years old. This change directly affects 15-year-olds who currently may ride such bicycles but would be restricted under this bill. The key provision is the age increase, which would require riders to be at least 16 to legally operate these vehicles.

Prohibits the licensing of an adult residential care home, expanded adult residential care home, or developmental disabilities domiciliary home that is financed, managed, operated, supervised, directed, or owned in whole or in part by a person convicted of a gambling offense.

Proposes a constitutional amendment to ensure that the inherent and inalienable right of the people, including present and future generations, to clean water and air, a healthful environment and climate, healthy native ecosystems, and beaches shall be protected and shall not be infringed.

Repeals the requirement to use the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund if the Director elects to accept deposits from contributors instead of sending deposits directly to the ABLE program manager. Authorizes the Director of Finance to expend moneys in the trust fund to provide incentive payments to Hawaii public school ABLE account owners. Appropriates funds for incentive payments to Hawaii public school ABLE account owners and to fund a position to provide statewide outreach, advocacy, and relationship management for the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program.

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.

Requires any hospital with an operating room licensed by the Department of Health to adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke.

Establishes a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree if the conviction is predicated on the possession of methamphetamine or fentanyl, and progressive mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment if the person has prior convictions predicated on the trafficking of methamphetamine or the possession of methamphetamine or fentanyl.

Amends the types of occurrences for which the Hawaii Tourism Authority Board of Directors may request the Governor to declare a tourism emergency. Reduces the minimum balance to be maintained in the Tourism Emergency Special Fund through an allocation of transient accommodations tax revenues.

Maddy summaryHB 187 increases the maximum fines for certain fireworks-related violations. It directly affects individuals or businesses that violate existing fireworks laws, such as improper storage, sale, or use. The bill raises the penalty amounts but does not change the underlying violations or add new restrictions. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 558 establishes a Nuclear Energy Task Force within Hawaii's State Energy Office to study nuclear energy's potential role in the state's energy future. The bill requires this task force to submit regular reports to the Hawaii Legislature. It directly affects the State Energy Office and the Legislature by creating a formal process for gathering and reviewing nuclear energy information. This procedural bill does not change energy policy but mandates structured analysis and reporting on nuclear energy.