Sen. Mike Gabbard

Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office to conduct a study to identify the most cost-effective investments for clean energy alternatives to combustible fuels. Requires a report to the Legislature.

Amends the environmental response, energy, and food security tax to address carbon emissions. Incrementally increases the tax rate over time. Establishes a refundable tax credit to mitigate the effect of a carbon emissions tax on lower-income taxpayers. Establishes and appropriates moneys into the carbon emissions tax and dividend special fund. Reenacts the agricultural development and food security special fund. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Maddy summarySB 622 requires all landfills in the state to install and maintain dust monitoring stations to track particulate matter emissions. This directly affects landfill operators and owners, who must implement these monitoring systems to comply with the bill. The key provision mandates regular monitoring and reporting of dust levels to ensure air quality standards are met near landfill sites. The bill aims to address community health concerns related to airborne dust from waste disposal operations.

Requires the Department of Education to establish a recognition program to incentivize schools to submit to the Department a plan for the school to reach 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. Requires all department high schools to provide a plant-based meal option for school meals, under certain conditions.

Requires certain priority level 1 cesspools to be upgraded, converted, or connected before 1/1/2035. Requires priority level 2 and other cesspools to be upgraded, converted, or connected before 1/1/2040, rather than before 1/1/2050, with certain exemptions. Authorizes the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds. Appropriates funds.

Requires health care providers to provide patients with copies of billing records within ten working days of a request from the patient and provide written notice to patients if there is a credit on the patient's account. Clarifies that health care providers must respond to medical record requests from patients in a timely manner pursuant to federal regulations, with exceptions. Establishes penalties for violations.

Clarifies the level of environmental restoration owners and operators of underground storage tanks or tank systems that had a confirmed release must satisfy by requiring the removal of all jet fuel, including fuel additives and all compounds resulting from the degradation of jet fuel or jet fuel additives or the reaction of jet fuel or jet fuel additives with water or other chemicals. Establishes a rebuttable presumption that the detection of these contaminants in the vicinity of an underground storage tank or a tank system after a confirmed release is a result of the confirmed release.

Clarifies the definition of "power-generating facility" for the purposes of environmental impact assessments to include facilities that rely on the combustion of any fuel source, including facilities operating beginning 1/1/2025, and facilities that convert from one source of energy to another source, where the new source requires combustion and the electrical output rating of the converted facility exceeds 5.0 megawatts.

Beginning 1/1/2027, prohibits the sale or offer for sale of gasoline-powered leaf blowers. Repeals the exemption on leaf blower restrictions for government agencies.

Directs the Hawaii State Energy Office, in conjunction with the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of an atmospheric carbon capture plant in the State. Requires a report to the Legislature.