Sen. Mike Gabbard

Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish and enforce vegetation management requirements to prevent wildfires caused by electric utilities.

Requires insurers, after a policyholder experiences a total loss, to automatically refund any unearned premium; adjust premiums for subsequent policy terms to reflect the absence of a dwelling, structure, or contents; and provide policyholders with clear notice of the coverage needed for vacant property or while rebuilding.

Specifies a time limit for the validity of a finding of no significant impact of a final environmental assessment or acceptance of a final environmental impact statement for a proposed action. Requires an agency or applicant to commence a new environmental review process for the proposed action if the validity expires.

PART II: Allows certain extensions of the deadline for cesspool conversions. PART III: Authorizes and appropriates funds to the Department of Health to retain qualified consultants as necessary to identify necessary public outreach and education resources and tools and develop a comprehensive public outreach strategy and website to educate homeowners and wastewater industry professionals about information and resources regarding the State's cesspool upgrade, conversion, and connection requirements and deadlines.

Requires the Department of Education to establish a climate literacy certificate program to provide students with an advanced understanding of climate change through academic coursework and hands-on learning.

Establishes an executive committee and amends the membership and duties of the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission (Commission). Requires each member agency of the Commission to implement its own actions to address certain strategies and goals established by the Commission. Establishes reporting and review requirements for member agencies relating to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts and clean economy targets. Updates reporting requirements for the Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation reports. Allows the Commission to enter into certain procurement contracts. Updates the zero emissions clean economy target.

Maddy summarySB 2403 expands the renewable fuels production tax credit by broadening its eligibility rules or increasing the credit amount for producers. This bill directly affects companies that manufacture renewable fuels like ethanol or biodiesel, providing them with potentially larger tax benefits. The key change is modifying the existing tax credit program to support more producers or higher production volumes, without altering the core structure of the credit itself. The bill is currently in early stages of the legislative process.

Prohibits public establishments from denying shelter to any person when an emergency alert advises the public to immediately seek shelter during the establishments' normal business hours, under certain conditions. Clarifies that remuneration or expectation of remuneration paid to owners of private property for goods or services other than emergency access to land, shelter, or subsistence, including services or incidental commodities to the emergency access, does not void the exemption from civil liability afforded to these owners except where owners increase the sale price of the service or incidental commodities.

Maddy summarySB 2490 prohibits the manufacture and sale of surfboard wax containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are environmentally persistent chemicals. It directly affects surfboard wax manufacturers and retailers within the state. The bill's key provision bans these specific chemicals in surfboard wax products, aiming to reduce environmental contamination. This policy change targets a common source of PFAS pollution in coastal areas without restricting other uses of the chemicals.

Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to revitalize and enhance the Agricultural Statistics Program to collect data on local agricultural interests. Appropriates funds.