Sen. Rosalyn H. Baker

Establishes criteria by which a county director of wastewater treatment systems can determine catastrophic failure of existing wastewater treatment facilities. Authorizes county governments to enter into private-public partnerships to fund, design, build, and operate new wastewater treatment and resource recovery facilities in the event of catastrophic failure. Allows each county to contract certain services in certain cases to prevent catastrophic failure of existing wastewater treatment facilities. Amends the definition of "resource recovery facility" to encompass other resources such as reusable water or recoverable gas.

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to develop and adopt reliability standards and interconnection requirements to facilitate the timely interconnection of utility-scale renewable energy projects.

Prohibits the expenditure of more than 15% of a capital improvement project's budget on professional services.

Expands eligibility for, and automates, the expungement of arrest and conviction records if certain criteria are met, including the lack of a conviction record for a specified time period following the date of an arrest, conviction, or release from incarceration.

Prohibits a landlord from bringing a summary proceeding for possession or otherwise remove a tenant from any housing accommodation unless the landlord can establish with the court certain grounds as good cause for possession. Establishes provisions for rent control.

Retroactively restores the foreign-trade zones exemption from taxation under the general excise tax law, use tax law, fuel tax law, liquor tax law, and cigarette tax and tobacco tax law.

Establishes a residential leasehold program within the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Exempts from the definition of public lands, non-ceded lands set aside by the Governor or leased by any state department or agency to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, for the primary purposes of developing affordable housing. Removes the existing statutory cap on the amount of conveyance tax revenues that are deposited into the rental housing revolving fund each fiscal year. Appropriates funds.

Bans the sale of flavored tobacco products and mislabeled e-liquid products. Effective 1/1/2023.

Amends the title and scope of the pesticide subsidy program and pesticide use revolving fund to include all pest control methods approved by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Appropriates moneys into and out of the pest control revolving fund for administering the pest control subsidy program.

Increases the conveyance tax on real property valued at $2,000,000 or higher. Requires that certain moneys from the collection of conveyance tax be paid into the Early Learning Special Fund. Requires that moneys paid into the Early Learning Special Fund from the collection of conveyance tax be used for early care and learning programs. Appropriates funds to the Preschool Open Doors Special Fund. Appropriates funds for early childhood apprenticeship programs.