Sen. Tim Richards

Beginning 1/1/2027, requires each county to implement fare-free access to its public transportation systems. Establishes the Fare-Free Public Transportation Tax and Dividend Special Fund. Increases the Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax on petroleum products to fund fare-free public transportation.

Maddy summarySB 2038 would allow certain pregnant people to receive abortion medication with labels that do not include their name or other personal identifying information. This policy change directly affects individuals seeking medication abortion services in the state. The key provision modifies medication labeling requirements to remove personal identifiers from abortion medication packaging. The bill focuses on privacy protections during the medication distribution process, without altering access to abortion services themselves.

Clarifies that the Department of Health is to presume both the recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the United States Department of Health and Human Services constitute the prevailing medical standard for child health supervision services for purposes of health insurance coverage.

Prohibits a landlord or the landlord's agent from charging an application fee for a criminal background check or credit report if an applicant provides a certified copy of a recent criminal background check or credit report. Prohibits a landlord or the landlord's agent from charging an application fee if a recent comprehensive reusable tenant screening report is available. Requires a landlord or the landlord's agent to provide, upon request, a certified copy of an applicant's criminal background check or credit report.

Expands free school meal coverage, beginning with the 2029-2030 school year, to all Department of Education students regardless of whether the student participates in a federal school meals program.

Specifies that the driver of a vehicle must wait until a pedestrian has crossed half of the crosswalk plus an additional lane of the roadway before the driver can proceed.

Requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the County Fire Departments to develop and administer the Community Risk Reduction Program. Defines "prescribed burn" and includes its use within the Community Risk Reduction Program. Requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to make annual reports to the Legislature.

Authorizes geological subsurface characterization activities conducted by a public research institution under certain conditions. Clarifies that boreholes or test holes drilled for the purposes of geological subsurface characterization are distinct from water well exploration and geothermal or mineral exploration. Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, to designate the Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center of the University of Hawaii, or a successor entity, as the repository for data collected from any geological subsurface characterization activity. Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to designate a repository or be the repository for any scientific data collected from any geological subsurface characterization activity on lands it holds in trust. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to amend its exemption list to specify that certain geological subsurface characterization activities shall be exempt from the environmental review process or shall only require an exemption notice. Requires the University of Hawaii to amend its exemption list to specify that certain geological subsurface characterization activities shall be exempt from the environmental review process or shall only require an exemption notice. Requires the Department of Health to amend its rules related to hazardous waste and hazardous waste management for consistency with federal regulations to specify that certain waste products generated by geological subsurface characterization activity are exempt from hazardous waste management requirements. Requires that the first site where a borehole or test hole is drilled shall be on lands owned by DHHL. Establishes the Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center within the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology of UH Manoa. Appropriates funds.

Codifies net neutrality principles by prohibiting fixed and mobile internet service providers that provide broadband internet access service from engaging in certain practices concerning the treatment of internet traffic. Among other things, prohibits internet service providers from blocking internet traffic on the basis of internet content, application, or service, engaging in paid prioritization or zero-rating internet traffic in exchange for consideration, monetary or otherwise.

Maddy summarySB 3056 expands an existing agricultural enforcement pilot program operated by the Department of Law Enforcement to include the islands of Kauai and Maui. This bill directly affects agricultural operations (such as farms and ranches) on those islands, as the program will now apply to enforcement activities there. The key mechanism is extending the geographic scope of the current pilot program, which focuses on enforcing agricultural regulations, to these two additional locations. The bill does not change enforcement standards or create new laws, only broadens where the existing pilot program operates.