Sen. Troy Hashimoto

Establishes a temporary Medi-Medi Project within the Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program administered by the Executive Office on Aging to assist older adults, Medicare beneficiaries, individuals with disabilities, and other underserved populations who may qualify for various low-income subsidy programs to gain access to their benefits. Requires the Executive Office on Aging to submit reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Appropriates funds for the agricultural loan program to offer loans with an interest rate cap of four per cent; a line of credit program with a prevailing interest rate; and loans with an interest rate cap of three per cent for new farmers that commit to growing import replacement crops and farm-to-state programs.

Directs the Department of Human Services to adopt rules to expand Medicaid eligibility to all children in the State from birth to age 5 years without regard to household income. Appropriates moneys.

Prohibits certain covered educational entities and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation facilities from collecting information regarding citizenship or immigration status or allowing officers of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enter certain facilities, except under specific circumstances.

Maddy summarySB 638 requires most employers to provide employees with paid breaks during work shifts, directly affecting all covered workers in the state. The bill mandates that employers give employees a paid break of at least 15 minutes for every 4 hours worked, replacing current unpaid break practices for eligible employees. This policy change updates employment standards to ensure workers receive compensation during designated rest periods, applying to all covered workplaces without specifying industry exemptions. The bill is currently under review by the relevant legislative committee.

Replaces the five per cent bid preference for bidders for a public works contract with an estimated value of $250,000 or more, who is a party to an apprenticeship agreement registered with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations with a five per cent earned credit that can be applied to certain future public works contract bids for a duration of three years after the chief procurement officer issues the earned credit certificate. Authorizes purchasing agencies to audit and have full access to the books and records of contractors or subcontractors relating to the contractor's compliance with requirements of the earned credit bid preference. Requires contractors and subcontractors to maintain relevant records for three years. Requires the contractor to submit reports as required by the Chief Procurement Officer.

Allows certain undocumented students to be considered residents of the State for the purposes of tuition, financial assistance, and University of Hawaii program participation under certain conditions.

Creates an alternative water source income tax credit for taxpayers who install, place in service, or repair a water catchment system or who purchase water delivery services.

Maddy summarySB 760 allows rodeos to be held on land zoned for agricultural use, which previously may have been restricted. It directly affects ranchers, event organizers, and landowners in agricultural areas who host or operate rodeos. The bill removes restrictions preventing rodeo events on such land, enabling these activities without needing special permits. This is a straightforward policy change to clarify land use rules for existing agricultural operations.

Maddy summarySB 949 establishes a working group in Hawaii to evaluate whether the state's Land Court system should be reformed or eliminated. The bill directly affects Hawaii's Land Court, which handles property disputes and title matters. The key mechanism is creating this group to develop recommendations for legislative action, though the bill itself does not change court procedures or eliminate the court immediately. The working group will operate under the Hawaii Legislature, with no direct policy changes enacted by the bill. (Procedural bill; summary limited to 3 sentences as specified.)