Sen. Brenton Awa

Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to establish a grant program to assist persons who use albizia trees to create usable commercial products or are developing ways to use albizia trees to create usable products. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, in consultation with certain academic units of the University of Hawaiʻi, to study economically feasible ways in which businesses may use albizia trees to produce usable commercial products, including housing, throughout the State. Appropriates moneys.

Requires the securing of mooring lines from vessels requiring tug assistance to be manned by an existing, operational stevedoring company that is operating within the State, except the securing of mooring lines from vessels for purposes of shipyard or boatyard operations necessary for vessel drydocking, hauling, launching, or shifting used in conjunction with other shipyard or boatyard operations. Effective 6/30/3000. (HD1)

Establishes the offense of fraud as a class B felony. Disqualifies a person from holding elective public office for a period of ten years upon conviction of fraud.

Establishes the Farm Succession Pilot Program under Leeward Community College in collaboration with the University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds for the pilot program and for the Department of Agriculture's Farmer Apprentice Mentoring Program. Effective 6/30/3000. (HD1)

Establishes the offense of Fentanyl possession, production, or distribution as a Class A felony.

Requires each Department of Education classroom to be equipped with an opioid antagonist. Requires the Department of Education to train employees on opioid-related drug overdose prevention, recognition, and response and opioid antagonist administration. Appropriates moneys.

Transfers the Culinary Institute of the Pacific from the University of Hawaiʻi to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism as an administratively attached agency.

Clarifies requirements for film productions with production expenditures of $1,000,000 or more claiming the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit. Increases the annual cap from $50,000,000 to $75,000,000 for the total amount of the motion picture, digital media, and film production tax credit. Requires productions to meet certain local hire and local vendor quotas. Expands the definition of qualified production for the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit to include streaming platforms. Takes effect 1/6/2050. (SD1)

Prohibits social media platforms from engaging in censorship of candidates for elected office and other users.

Establishes a three-year New Waste Management Solution and Cesspool System Demonstration Pilot Program within the University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center to examine and demonstrate new wastewater and cesspool technology systems; implement those technologies in demonstration projects in areas across the State that are identified as Priority Level 1 in the 2021 Hawaiʻi Cesspool Hazard Assessment and Prioritization Tool Report; and establish a similar ranking system for prioritization levels for the islands of Molokai, Lanai, and Niihau. Requires the University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center to submit reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds for the pilot program.