Sen. Dru Kanuha

Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office to conduct a statewide environmental assessment for, and subsequently administer, a Geothermal Resources Characterization Program under the direction of the Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center at the University of Hawaii. Appropriates funds.

Allows the Department of Land and Natural Resources to expend the moneys from the State Parks Special Fund for programs aimed at environmental protection.

Requires the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to make all business registration applications available online. Requires all applications to contain certain contact information.

Establishes a one-year School Bus Driver Certification Subsidy Pilot Program within the Department of Education for the 20252026 school year. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates fund.

Prohibits the Governor or a Mayor from suspending requests for public records or vital statistics during a declared state of emergency. Allows for a reasonable delay in an agency's response to a request as a result of extenuating circumstances.

Establishes an Advisory Commission in the Department of Accounting and General Services to propose names or a change of names for state buildings, parks, facilities, and events.

Establishes the sustainable aviation fuel import tax credit. Increases the renewable fuels production tax credit amount. Repeals the: (1) cap amount of claimable renewable fuels production tax credit; (2) requirement that the tax credit be claimed for fuels with lifecycle emissions below fossil fuels; and (3) prohibition on claiming other tax credits for the cost incurred to produce renewable fuels. Specifies that the renewable fuels production tax credit can only be claimed for fuels that meet the certain thresholds. Adds an additional tax credit value. Clarifies that a taxpayer who previously claimed a renewable fuels production tax credit may claim another one for taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024. Clarifies and expands required information in the certified statement for the tax credit. Repeals the requirement that the Hawaii State Energy Office provide the taxpayer with a determination of whether the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions for each type of qualified fuel produced is lower than that of fossil fuels.

Establishes an exemption from applicable county permit requirements for repetitive construction projects for facilities under the control of any state department or agency, under certain conditions. Clarifies that contracts for the construction, renovation, or repair of facilities under the control of the department of education, university of Hawaii, or school facilities authority shall be exempt from county permitting requirements that related off-site improvements be made by the contracting government agency as a condition to the issuance of any permit.

Increases the mandatory minimum jail sentence for a first conviction of knowingly or intentionally violating a temporary restraining order from forty-eight to seventy-two hours. Requires mandatory mental health counseling for a first conviction of knowingly or intentionally violating a temporary restraining order.

Maddy summarySB 1172 requires all health insurers operating in the state, including Medicaid managed care programs, to cover dental and vision care as part of standard health insurance plans. This affects residents enrolled in state health insurance plans, particularly expanding coverage for dental and vision services that were previously often excluded. The key provision mandates insurers to include these benefits without additional cost-sharing for enrollees. The bill is currently pending in committee (referred to HHS, CPN on Jan. 27, 2025) and has not yet passed the legislature.