Sen. Troy Hashimoto

Establishes the Hawaii State Fellows Program within the Department of Human Resources Development to match talented applicants with full-time, paid fellowship roles in various state agencies for a period of ten to eleven months. Establishes minimum qualifications and procedures for eligible applicants to apply to the program. Gives preference to eligible program applicants who have pre-existing ties to the State or a demonstrated commitment to long-term leadership in the State. Requires the Department of Human Resources Development, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, to coordinate with state agencies to implement and promote the program. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Requires defendants convicted of causing the death of a parent or legal guardian of a minor child by the operation of a vehicle in a negligent manner while under the influence of drugs or alcohol to make restitution in the form of financial support to each surviving child of the victim.

Adds a minimum penalty and amends the maximum penalty per violation of the State Water Code, expands the types of potential violations of the State Water Code, and makes each day that a violation exists or continues to exist a separate offense. Requires the Commission on Water Resource Management to consider certain factors when imposing penalties. Makes the setting, charging, and collecting of administrative fines by the Commission on Water Resource Management mandatory, rather than discretionary.

Requires the Department of Agriculture and University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to conduct a study on the effects of neonicotinoids on Hawaii beehive and apiary operations, including beekeeping activities at solar energy facilities. Appropriates moneys.

Establishes the Hawaii start-up business loan program. Establishes the Hawaii start-up business loan program special fund. Requires DBEDT to submit an annual report to the Legislature regarding the program. Appropriates funds.

Allows captive insurance companies that are not risk retention captive insurance companies to apply to the Insurance Commissioner for certificates of exemption from examination if the captive insurance companies meet certain requirements.

Maddy summarySB 159 would exempt certain types of housing developments from school impact fees, which are typically charged to developers to cover the cost of new schools needed for growing communities. This bill directly affects developers building qualifying housing projects, such as affordable or multi-family units, by removing a financial requirement they would otherwise face. The key mechanism is a specific exemption from the standard fee assessment process for these designated developments. The bill is currently in early stages, having been introduced on January 13, 2025.

Allows a retirant to be employed without reenrollment in the Employees' Retirement System and without loss or interruption of retirement benefits if the retirant is employed as a school resource officer or investigator in positions identified by the Department of Education or the Department of the Attorney General, respectively, as a labor shortage or difficult-to-fill positions, subject to certain conditions. Requires the Director of Human Resources of the appropriate state jurisdiction or the human resources management chief executive of each county to include in their annual reports to the Legislature, details on the employment of retirants as school resource officers or investigators.

Requires the Land Use Commission to reclassify lands that are designated for urban growth under a county general plan or county development plan as being in the urban district at the request of the county.

Specifies that a simple majority of affirmative votes of the members of the Land Use Commission present at a meeting and qualified to vote is required for any boundary amendment.