Sen. Troy Hashimoto

Subjects all nominated, appointed, or elected officers and employees of the State, including members of boards, commissions, and committees; individuals under contract to the State or constitutional convention; and legislators, delegates to a constitutional convention, and justices and judges, and their respective employees, to nepotism prohibitions in the State's Code of Ethics. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires testing of driver license applicants on the dangers that larger motor vehicles present to pedestrians and bicyclists. Requires persons who commit the offense of excessive speeding to pass the driver license examination only if and when those drivers apply for a new driver's license. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes the Board of Education Internal Audit Office. Requires the Board of Education to establish, as a standing committee of the Board, a standing committee with a scope that includes audit-related responsibilities. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Prohibits certain solicitation and inducement practices relating to insurance claims. Establishes disaster-related insurance fraud offenses. Broadens the scope of the offense of insurance fraud and the acts that constitute insurance fraud. Clarifies the penalties for the offense of insurance fraud and the capabilities and operations of the Insurance Fraud Investigations Branch, including the annual report to the Legislature and the use of fraud analytics. Reiterates protections for insurance fraud whistleblowers. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Maddy summarySB 2593 exempts certain positions on the Law Enforcement Standards Board from state civil service rules and collective bargaining agreements. This change directly affects employees in those specific roles by removing standard hiring, promotion, and union negotiation requirements. The bill alters how these positions are governed under state employment regulations. It does not affect other Board functions or staff outside the exempted roles.

Provides that the University of Hawaii and its campuses and state libraries may utilize liquor in certain educational settings without obtaining liquor licenses, subject to certain limitations. Effective 7/1/2050. (HD1)

Requires each county to apply any applicable real property tax exemptions, reduced assessments, or tax classifications for any affordable housing subject to income, resale, or occupancy restrictions as of the date a qualifying owner takes title to the affordable housing for the upcoming tax period, consistent with county procedures. Effective 4/19/2042. (SD1)

Requires the Civil Rights Commission to establish a twenty-four-hour intake helpline to assist individuals who experience or witness civil rights violations in the State. Requires the Civil Rights Commission to compile an annual report and hold an annual public hearing on data obtained through the helpline. Requires the Civil Rights Commission to compile and submit to the Legislature, and post on its website, a monthly preliminary report on data obtained through the helpline. Appropriates funds to establish an unspecified number of Civil Rights Investigator, Data Analyst, and Program Manager positions within the Civil Rights Commission. Appropriates funds for the Civil Rights Commission to contract with Aloha United Way to implement the twenty-four-hour intake helpline and for website and data development costs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Authorizes the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to quarantine any business or other area that is known or reasonably suspected to be infested or infected with any pest. Authorizes the Department to establish interim rules governing the transportation of any material into and within the State known to harbor or transport a high-impact invasive species or pest. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Requires health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations to honor a patient's written assignment of benefits to a substance use disorder treatment provider. Prohibits health insurance policies, plans, contracts, and agreements from including anti-assignment clauses that restrict or invalidate a patient's right to assign benefits. Authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to adopt rules and take enforcement action to ensure compliance. Deems violations to be unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the business of insurance. Requires insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations to furnish an explanation of benefits to the assigned provider upon request. Effective 1/30/2050. (HD1)