Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole

Appropriates funds for teacher salaries.

Establishes a primary promise pilot program within the Department of Education. Requires the Department to identify elementary schools having low literacy rates or a disproportionate number of students reading below grade level. Appropriates moneys to hire teachers and instructional aides to provide instruction to students in grades K-3 who read below grade level in those identified schools. Sunsets 6/30/2025.

Requires boards to provide interactive conference technology for all meetings under the State's open meetings law to permit remote participation and testimony. Requires boards to send board packets to those who have requested notification of meetings either by mail or electronic access.

Modifies the existing plant and animal declaration form to also require in-bound travelers to the State to acknowledge state laws, federal laws, and individual responsibility to protect the environment and agriculture of the State. Requires all other documents travelers are required to complete to enter the State, except documents only relating to COVID-19, to include an environmental and agricultural affirmation.

Recognizes and formalizes the Prevent Suicide Hawaii Task Force to implement its strategic plan to reduce suicide in Hawaii by twenty-five per cent by 2025. Appropriates funds to the Department of Health's Emergency Medical Services and Injunction System Branch to support the branch operations to prevent or reduce suicide in the State.

Appropriates funds to support the department of land and natural resources' hatchery program.

Appropriates funds to establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) program director position and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) staff member position, and to provide for employee training, materials and supplies, other costs associated with the state building code council, and any costs necessary to establish a full-time office.

Requires the Department of Health to establish 9-8-8 call centers that meet certain minimum requirements and to adopt administrative rules. Requires the Department of Health to establish crisis response teams that meet certain requirements. Creates funding mechanisms for crisis and intervention services. Establishes a 9-8-8 fee to fund the services created by this Act. Establishes a board to oversee and implement the services created by this Act. Requires the Department of Health to set a timeline to accomplish the services created by this Act. Establishes the 9-8-8 special fund.

Bans the sale of flavored tobacco products and mislabeled e-liquid products. Effective 1/1/2023.

Establishes a general excise tax surcharge on an owner that allows a residential real property to remain vacant for 120 days or more a year. Requires persons who own residential real property, but do not live there, to obtain a general excise tax license. Requires the counties to disclose to the Department of Taxation a list of properties classified as not being occupied by an owner of that property. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to calculate average annual rental value for the basis for the surcharge amount. Appropriates funds.