Sen. Tim Richards

Requires the Attorney General to designate safe community places. Prohibits employees at safe community places from providing voluntary consent to federal law enforcement agents for operations that identify or seek to identify apprehend, arrest, or impose any other penalty for activities protected by the First Amendment or immigration enforcement.

Maddy summarySB 2703 allocates state funds for the Area-Wide Fruit Fly Suppression Program, which targets fruit fly infestations threatening fruit crops. The program directly affects fruit growers and agricultural communities in affected regions by funding pest control efforts. The key mechanism is budgetary appropriation, directing state resources to support suppression activities without changing existing agricultural regulations. This is a procedural funding bill, not a policy change, and remains in early legislative stages.

Authorizes the issuance of GO bonds and appropriates funds for capital improvements for the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience's Agricultural Research and Extension Station on Kauai.

Amends section 150A-58, Hawaii Revised Statute, to clarify that signatory industries to a biosecurity government-industry agreement shall not be liable for costs related to performing activities pursuant to the agreement. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish a working group that comprises signatories of the biosecurity government-industry agreements for joint-decision making.

By July 1, 2027, requires the Honolulu Police Department to establish and maintain a statewide automated DNA match tracking system. Requires the Department to submit an annual report to the Legislature and post the report to the Department's website. Requires each law enforcement agency and prosecuting attorney's office that submits DNA to a crime laboratory in the State to participate in the automated DNA match tracking system. Establishes mandatory deadlines for entities participating in the automated DNA match tracking system after confirmation of a DNA database match. Establishes privacy and data protection guidelines for the statewide automated DNA match tracking system. Appropriates funds.

Requires the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience to establish a Center for Biosecurity Research, Education, and Extension to develop and implement innovative solutions for detecting, monitoring, eradicating, and managing invasive species. Appropriates funds.

Restructures the conveyance tax to a marginal rate system for the sale of properties with residential use, adjusts the tax for multifamily properties to reflect value on a per-unit basis, and applies a cost-of-living adjustment to conveyance tax rates. Allocates revenues from conveyance tax collections. Allocates a portion of conveyance tax collections to the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund to fund infrastructure programs in county-designated transit-oriented development areas that meet minimum standards of transit-supportive density. Allocates a portion of conveyance tax revenues to the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust Fund.

Extends the period during which a surety, surety insurer, or bail agent may file a motion or application to set aside the bond or recognizance forfeiture from thirty days to ninety days. Ensures that proper notice of a bail forfeiture judgment is provided to a surety or bail agent. Affirms that a judge may impose financial conditions of release and maintain full discretion to consider individual circumstances. Allows a surety or bail agent to apply to set aside a forfeiture, even if a prior motion has been filed. Subjects bail bond forfeiture proceedings to Rule 60 of the Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure. Prohibits forfeiture from being ordered in any felony case.

Includes housing projects for individuals with disabilities and individuals with access and functional needs as eligible projects to apply for expedited permits. Effective 7/2/2026. Repeals on 6/30/2031.

Prohibits the Department of Health from issuing permits for commercial burning of green waste products in residential areas or within one thousand feet of a residential property.