Sen. Kurt Fevella

Establishes the Blue Economy Working Group to study how to develop and support marine-based economic activities that align with the State's decarbonization and restorative food production goals. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to award monthly rent supplement payments on behalf of qualified tenants under the State Rent Supplement Program prioritizing certain tenants, including kupuna. Authorizes the HPHA to enter into memoranda of agreement for rental supplement payments with the counties or specialized nonprofit organizations. Amends provisions relating to the State Rent Supplement Program. Establishes the State Rent Supplement Program Special Fund. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to assess a transaction tax for each applicable recording in the Office of the Assistant Registrar of the Land Court or the Bureau of Conveyances to be deposited into the State Rent Supplement Program Special Fund. Repeals the existing separate State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna. Establishes four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist II positions and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist IV position within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Requires a landowner leasing agricultural sub-parcels on property used for agrivoltaics to prioritize lease offers for beginning farmers. Requires a landowner leasing agricultural sub-parcels on property used for agrivoltaics to submit an annual agrivoltaics compliance report to the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Authorizes DAB to penalize any landowner that fails to meet agrivoltaics requirements. Authorizes the development of solar energy facilities on agricultural lands with productivity ratings of B, C, or D under certain conditions. Authorizes a county planning commission to issue special permits for agrivoltaics requirements before the approval of the Land Use Commission under certain conditions. (SD1)

Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to: (1) Establish a four-year Restorative Aquaculture Development Program to reduce aquaculture permit processing time, support aquaculture infrastructure expansion, increase the aquaculture workforce, and pursue federal aquaculture grants; (2) Establish three pilot demonstration sites for restorative aquaculture; and (3) Convene a Restorative Aquaculture Advisory Council. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Establishes a broad definition of "qualified health care provider" in numerous areas of existing law. Clarifies and standardizes references to specific health care providers. Updates outdated language to reflect correct terminology. Makes numerous clarifying and conforming amendments to support these changes, including but not limited to chapters related to health, education, insurance, professions and vocations, the pain patient's bill of rights, the Uniform Probate Code, minors, the Child Protective Act, and the Penal Code. Repeals the obsolete Hawaii Health Corps. Effective 1/30/2050. Implementation effective 7/1/2028. (SD1)

Establishes the Strengthen Hawaii Homes Program under the Department of Land and Natural Resources to award grants for qualified mitigation projects to mitigate against loss from fire. Provides eligibility criteria for residential property owners to receive grants and guidelines for contractors and assessors to perform work on mitigation projects. Establishes the Strengthen Hawaii Homes Revolving Fund. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Establishes an organizational, tax, and regulatory framework for limited-profit housing associations. Establishes the Limited-Profit Housing Council within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to oversee limited-profit housing associations. Requires reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Requires the Director of Finance to consider, before the selection of a depository for the state treasury, the beneficial effects to the State of using depositories within the State, including but not limited to lending at favorable terms for the creation of certain affordable housing units. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD1)

Establishes the Ombudsman's Office for Homeowners Insurance within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Establishes the Ombudsman's Office for Homeowners Insurance Special Fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Maddy summarySB 2935 exempts sales of feminine hygiene products from the general excise tax, meaning manufacturers and retailers selling these items will not pay this tax on the income from those sales. The exemption directly affects businesses that sell products like tampons, pads, and menstrual cups. The bill takes effect on January 30, 2050, and would remove a tax burden currently applied to these essential health products. This change is a specific policy adjustment to the tax code, not a broader health or funding measure.