Requires the Department of Education to establish a statewide Environmental Stewardship Curricula Plan for public schools for certain students. Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, requires public schools to offer an environmental stewardship course for certain students. Requires the Department of Education to establish and administer sustainability programs, including recycling and composting programs, to be implemented at public schools. Beginning 7/1/27, prohibits the use or distribution of single-use plastic utensils, trays, straws, and other disposable plastic food service products in public school cafeterias. Beginning 7/1/28, requires each public school to have at least one operational refillable water bottle filling station accessible to students and staff. Requires reports to the Board of Education and the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
Sen. Mike Gabbard
Sponsored bills
Phases in requirements that all newly manufactured washing machines sold within the State by January 1, 2042, be equipped with a microfiber filter. Requires certification that newly manufactured washing machines have microfiber filters. Establishes penalties.
Requires government entities in the State that issue building permits to implement SolarAPP+ or a functionally equivalent online automated permitting platform that verifies code compliance and issues permits to licensed contractors for solar distributed energy resource systems in real-time by 1/1/2027. Requires government entities in the State that issue building permits in areas served by an investor-owned electric utility to adopt a self-certification process for solar distributed energy resource systems that are not SolarAPP+ compatible.
Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to compile, maintain, and publish on its website a public inventory of underutilized public properties suitable for affordable rental housing development. Requires the HHFDC to provide legal and administrative assistance to requesting county agencies and eligible developers to accelerate the development of affordable rental housing projects. Establishes eligibility requirements for developers and rental housing projects seeking interim financing from the HHFDC. Establishes the Affordable Rental Supply Revolving Fund to be administered by the HHFDC to provide interim financing for eligible developers of approved rental housing projects. Establishes the Affordable Homeownership Program within the HHFDC to provide second mortgages to homebuyers under certain conditions. Establishes eligibility requirements for a homebuyer seeking a second mortgage from the HHFDC. Establishes the Affordable Homeownership Assistance Revolving Fund to be administered by the HHFDC. Appropriates funds.
Requires the Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Health, to develop and distribute to each public middle and high school in the State guidelines for the establishment and operation of safe spaces for students to access telehealth services on school property during normal school hours. Requires each public middle and high school to establish and maintain a safe space for students according to the guidelines.
Maddy summarySB 2012 removes a limit on the amount of property transfer tax revenue that must be directed to the land conservation fund. This change directly affects the land conservation fund by allowing it to receive all available conveyance tax revenue without a previously set maximum. The key mechanism is repealing the existing cap, meaning more funds could flow to land conservation projects as property transfers occur. This policy change shifts how tax revenue is allocated, increasing potential funding for land conservation efforts.
Maddy summarySB 2020 allocates state funds to support the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy's Space Science and Engineering Initiative Workforce Development Program. The bill directly affects the University of Hawaii system by providing financial resources for this specific program, which focuses on training and developing a skilled workforce in space science and engineering fields. Its key provision is the appropriation of moneys to the designated program, with no other substantive policy changes or mechanisms outlined in the abstract. The bill is currently pending committee review after its introduction and first reading.
Requires each county to adopt display standards requiring visible and readable street addresses and to require owners of residential and commercial buildings to post street addresses in accordance with the county's display standards.
Repeals provisions requiring all deposit beverage distributors to send monthly or semi-annual distribution reports and supporting records to the Department of Health; develop and submit to the program for approval, an internal control process to ensure accurate data reporting and adequate record maintenance; and obtain biennial independent audits.
Clarifies that a person or entity shall be liable for all or a portion of search and rescue expenses when the search and rescue results from the person or entity's violation of applicable laws. Requires the State Fire Council to adopt rules, and the counties to adopt ordinances, as necessary to pursue reimbursements.