Sen. Joy San Buenaventura

Requires an insurance producer to disclose a description of services to be provided, and compensation and commission to be received, before the procurement, placement, or renewal of any insurance policy purchased by a condominium association, and incorporates verification procedures into annual audit requirements. Requires at least two competitive quotes from insurance producers for any association insurance policy procurement, placement, or renewal with an annual premium greater than $250,000. Requires the board of directors to prepare and disclose to unit owners a one-page project summary for any capital improvement, repair, or maintenance project authorized with an estimated cost greater than $200,000.

Establishes provisions regarding the volunteered administration of certain medications by authorized persons at public schools, including requirements for parent authorization, administration instruction, and liability protections. Expands permitted emergency treatments to include epinephrine, inhalers, seizure rescue medication, glucagon, insulin, and blood-glucose monitoring.

Increases the capital gains tax rate for individuals, estates, and trusts to nine per cent. Increases the alternative capital gains tax for corporations to five per cent.

Maddy summarySB 2559 would authorize the Disability and Communication Access Board to issue disability parking travel placards directly to qualified applicants. This bill changes the process by giving the Board explicit authority to issue these placards, rather than relying on previous administrative procedures. It directly affects individuals with disabilities who need accessible parking permits to park in designated spaces. The bill focuses on streamlining the issuance process for these placards.

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, requires public charter schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to provide free meals to students whose family income is no more than three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level. Appropriates funds.

Permits the Department of Education and charter schools to hire unlicensed individuals as teachers on an emergency basis for five, rather than three, years. Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to adopt rules.

Authorizes the issuance of GO bonds and appropriates funds for capital improvements for the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience's Agricultural Research and Extension Station on Kauai.

Prohibits restaurants from imposing a mandatory gratuity service charge for food or beverage services unless the party includes ten or more customers, the service charge does not exceed eighteen per cent, and the customer is notified of the service charge.

Exempts from the state general excise tax any grants received from the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund by an eligible business pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Requires the Department of Taxation to notify all taxpayers eligible for refunds of any state general excise tax paid for grants received from the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund of their eligibility and requires taxpayers to file refund claims no later than six months following notification. Requires any state general excise taxes paid by eligible businesses for Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants to be refunded to the taxpayer. Applies retroactively to 3/11/2021.

Exempts agricultural ponds and low-risk green stormwater infrastructure from regulations covering retention ponds. Defines agricultural ponds and low-risk green stormwater infrastructure.