Sen. Mike Gabbard

Maddy summarySB 545 prohibits the use of synthetic substances in meals served at public schools and public charter schools operated under the Department of Education. The bill defines "synthetic substances" to clarify which ingredients or additives are restricted. This directly affects school meal programs by requiring them to eliminate these substances from student food. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process, having been introduced and passed first reading.

Establishes the Hawaii Wildfire Relief Fund and Hawaii Wildfire Relief Fund Corporation within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to provide compensation for property damage resulting from catastrophic wildfires in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature and Governor. Appropriates funds.

Establishes the Accessible Wilderness and State Parks Trails Program within the Division of State Parks of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Establishes the Accessible Wilderness and State Parks Trails Program Special Fund. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Maddy summarySB 377 would exempt medical services - including doctor visits, hospital care, and related health treatments - from the general excise tax, a tax currently applied to many services in the state. This change would directly affect patients receiving medical care (reducing their out-of-pocket costs) and healthcare providers (who would no longer collect or remit this tax on medical services). The key provision removes the tax requirement specifically for medical services, making them tax-free while leaving other services subject to the tax. The bill is currently pending committee review after introduction in January 2025.

Maddy summarySB 569 funds an additional ambulance for the island of Hawaii, specifically based in Makalei, to support local emergency medical services. The bill provides operational funding for this new ambulance, directly affecting residents on the island who rely on emergency response in that area. It does not change existing health policies but allocates state resources to expand ambulance coverage on Hawaii Island. This is a straightforward funding measure, not a policy change.

Requires the State or a county to reimburse an officer or employee within thirty calendar days of a request for reimbursement for travel costs that the officer or employee loaned to the State or a county. Requires the State or a county to pay a percentage of interest on the total amount owed to an officer or employee until the loan is fully reimbursed.

Requires municipal solid waste combustor ash to be disposed of only in a lined landfill. Prohibits the reuse of municipal solid waste incinerator ash for uses such as roadbuilding, fill, or construction.

Establishes an Advisory Committee convened by the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Department of Health to inventory lands owned by the United States government which may be reasonably transferred back to the State and to make recommendations on relevant land conditions and appropriateness of potential transfer. Requires reports to the Legislature.

Prohibits the State or any of its branches, political subdivisions, or agencies or any county from requiring a bachelor's degree as a condition of eligibility for hire to a position in state or county employment. Establishes exemptions.

Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to update the online Wiki Permits service to include locations for which a right-of-entry permit for commercial activity is available via the service. Requires public input prior to the removal of any location from the list of available locations. Requires the Department to refund fees for right-of-entry permits if the permitted location is removed from the list of available locations before the commercial activity occurs.