Sen. Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran

Provides that the State or a county that repairs or maintains a street of which the ownership or jurisdiction is in dispute between the State and the county shall be immune from liability for personal injuries or property damage arising out of the repair or maintenance of that street. Deems that maintenance of a street shall not confer ownership or jurisdiction over such street if the ownership or jurisdiction over the street is in dispute between the State and the county.

Repeals the exemption granted to churches by Act 22, Session Laws of Hawaii 2020, relating to bonding requirements and fee requirements for licenses, renewals, and reinstatements of licenses applicable to cemeteries and funeral trusts. Clarifies that the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs shall exempt any cemetery authority from the bonding requirement and the fee requirements for license, renewal, and reinstatement upon proof satisfactory to the Director that the cemetery authority does not sell for financial profit. Effective retroactively to 09/15/2020.

Permits the governing body of a county to create, by ordinance, a process for the recordation and enforcement of solar easements. Allows counties to require individuals claiming a solar easement to record that easement by filing a declaration with the county clerk. Permits the governing body of a county to require, by ordinance, the trimming of vegetation that blocks solar radiation from solar energy devices. Authorizes the ordinance to include a designation for the cost of trimming.

Requires boards to use interactive conference technology to remotely conduct public meetings in conjunction with in-person meetings that allow for public participation. Requires boards to archive certain recordings of meetings on their websites.

Amends the definition of "wages" to include the payment of any paid time off or personal time off, holiday, sick, or vacation pay earned and payable in accordance with the terms of an employer's policy or a written agreement with the employer.

Repeals vehicle license recovery fees. Takes effect 1/1/2024.

Specifies, in the State Water Code, that fire safety use is a beneficial use of fresh water. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources, in consultation with the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, to cooperate with the counties and reservoir owners to develop protocols and agreements for the use of reservoir waters for fire safety purposes.

Encourages the EUTF to consider investment opportunities in industries that will sustain Hawaii's natural environment or produce economic opportunities for its residents, including renewable energy businesses and businesses that use investment capital to acquire the infrastructure and services needed to become energy sustainable. Appropriates funds to the EUTF.

Requires the employees' retirement system, in evaluating venture capital investments, to consider opportunities in industries that will sustain Hawaii's natural environment or produce economic opportunities for its residents, including renewable energy businesses and businesses that use the investment capital to acquire the infrastructure and services needed to become energy sustainable. If the employees' retirement system board of trustees determines that it is not prudent to invest in any Hawaii venture capital meeting this description, requires the board to report the rationale for the decision in its annual report to the legislature. Appropriates funds to the Hawaii targeted investment program.

Appropriates funds for capital improvement projects for fiscal biennium 2023–2025.