Sen. Troy Hashimoto

Requires the Hawaii Medical Board to require each person practicing medicine or podiatric medicine as a surgical assistant in the State to be licensed as a surgical assistant. Establishes exceptions. Requires the Hawaii Medical Board by rule to establish the application procedure, medical educational and training standards, examination requirements, if any, for surgical assistant licensure and degrees of supervision for surgical assistants. Establishes the Surgical Assistant Advisory Committee. Expands the services eligible for Medicaid Prospective Payment System reimbursement to include certain services furnished by a federally qualified health center or rural health clinic and provided by surgical assistants.

Requires the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Division of Financial Institutions and Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to conduct a two-year study to gather data on how to establish a state-level regulatory framework for stablecoin digital assets. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Maddy summarySB 2118 changes how the state recovers money owed by employees. It limits salary deductions for debt repayment to 5% of an employee's gross pay per pay period (with exceptions), replaces the rule requiring immediate recovery during disputed cases, and mandates a 30-day written notice before any deduction. These changes apply specifically to state employees who owe money to the state. The bill takes effect on January 1, 2077.

Specifies that the maximum contribution and carryover amounts for a public service flexible spending account plan shall be set in accordance with the annual limits prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service for cafeteria plans. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Establishes a 5-year pilot program to authorize the Department of Education to rehire retired teachers and educational officers for hard-to-staff positions.

Maddy summarySB 2076 updates state law to protect individuals' publicity rights by adding "digital replica" to the legal definition of "likeness." This means people can prevent unauthorized digital copies of their appearance or voice from being created or distributed without permission. The bill amends existing publicity rights law to specifically address new technology that generates realistic digital representations. It will take effect on January 1, 2077.

Authorizes a person to remove their name from a certificate of registration from a motor vehicle if that person is party to a divorce decree that states that title to the motor vehicle was granted to the other party.

Shortens the period within which certain judicial proceedings involving environmental assessments and environmental impact statements for actions that propose the use of land for, or construction of, affordable housing or clean energy projects must be initiated. Requires judicial proceedings involving actions that propose the use of land for, or construction of, affordable housing or clean energy projects to be filed directly with the Supreme Court and prohibits the Supreme Court from awarding attorneys' fees in these judicial proceedings.

Clarifies that for campaign committee reports, the date a candidate receives a check from a third-party website or the date the deposit is made by the third party is the reporting date for contributions aggregating more than $100 in an election period. Clarifies that for contributions by lobbyists prohibited during a legislative session, the date of a violation is the date of the acceptance or the date where the agreement of acceptance of a contribution occurred and not the date of deposit.

Standardizes annual independent financial audits for public charter schools. Authorizes sanctions for noncompliance with independent financial audits. Requires the Board of Education, the Public Charter School Authorizer, and Auditor to review the annual independent financial audits. Allows the Auditor to conduct its own financial audit if a public charter school is a high risk for insolvency. Requires for 2026-2027, the Auditor to conduct its own one-time financial audit of each charter school in addition to the annual independent financial audits and requires a report to the Legislature. Requires State Public Charter School Commission to take action based on Auditor's recommendations in the one-time financial audits. Appropriates moneys.