Establishes the Hawaii Farm to Families Program to alleviate food shortages in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature prior to the Regular Sessions of 2026 and 2027. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Permits the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to enter into contracts with eligible employers or registered apprenticeship programs in the private sector to provide on-the-job training to eligible interns. Provides that the State shall be the responsible employer for purposes of workers' compensation coverage for students or recent graduates in the on-the-job-training work experience program, subject to certain limitations. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Authorizes the Department of Education to award a high school diploma to qualified persons who did not receive a high school diploma as a result of compulsory or voluntary induction into the armed services of the United States or whose high school education was interrupted due to wartime practices during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Repeals language in the State's Code of Ethics that exempts the legislative and judicial branches from prohibitions against nepotism in public employment. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Authorizes the Agribusiness Development Corporation to acquire by condemnation any real property or interest in real property, under certain conditions. Prohibits any real property acquired by the Corporation by condemnation from subsequently being transferred or taken for any other public use without the Corporation's consent. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Maddy summarySB 371 would create two new criminal offenses for damaging critical infrastructure facilities, such as power plants or water treatment centers. It directly affects individuals who cause property damage to these facilities by defining "first degree" (more severe) and "second degree" (less severe) offenses. The bill establishes specific legal penalties for these acts, though the exact punishments aren't detailed in the abstract. The bill is currently pending introduction (as of January 14, 2025) and has no effective date listed beyond the unusual "7/1/3000" noted in the abstract.
Maddy summarySB 1541 allocates state funds to cover bond payments and repair the tunnel for the Waiahole Water System. This directly affects the system's operators and customers by ensuring ongoing infrastructure maintenance and debt obligations are met. The bill specifies funding for two key purposes: paying off existing bonds and addressing tunnel repairs. It becomes effective on July 1, 3000, as stated in the official abstract.
Maddy summarySCR 91 is a resolution urging the Hawaii Legislature to amend self-defense laws to remove the duty to retreat for individuals on agricultural land. It would allow ranchers, farmers, and others working on their property to use force - including deadly force - without first retreating to defend themselves, livestock, or property, provided they are not the original aggressor and are not committing a crime. The resolution was prompted by the 2024 killing of rancher Cranston Duke Pia, who was fatally shot while protecting his cattle from intruders' dogs. This resolution does not change current law but recommends legislative action to strengthen protections for agricultural workers.
Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 74) urges Hawaii's legislature to amend state self-defense laws to protect agricultural workers. It proposes removing the legal requirement to retreat when defending agricultural property, livestock, or individuals under their care on farms or ranches. The resolution specifies this would apply only if the person is not the original aggressor, not engaged in criminal activity, and lawfully present on agricultural land. As a resolution - not a binding law - it serves as a formal request for the legislature to advance such policy changes, motivated by a 2024 incident where a rancher was fatally shot while protecting his cattle.
Allows animal control officers, law enforcement officers, and firefighters to enter an unattended vehicle to protect the health, safety, or well-being of a pet animal that is endangered by being left or confined in an unattended vehicle. Allows private citizens to retrieve a pet animal that has been left in an unattended vehicle, under certain circumstances. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
