Sen. Stanley Chang

Maddy summarySB 834 would remove transfer restrictions under Hawaii's Chapter 201H housing development programs specifically for Hawaiian home lands. This change directly affects Native Hawaiian landowners and housing programs managing these lands by allowing transfers without the usual restrictions. The bill's key provision exempts Hawaiian home land transactions from Chapter 201H's requirements for property transfers within designated housing programs. The bill is currently pending committee review (deferred to February 4, 2025) and has not yet been enacted. This policy change aims to streamline land transfers for Hawaiian home lands within state housing initiatives.

Allows businesses in the State to designate an email address to accept service of process in lieu of continuously maintaining a registered agent in the State.

Establishes the Hawaii Home Energy Assistance Program within the Department of Human Services to assist qualifying households in paying their energy bills. Requires the Public Utilities Commission Public Benefits Fee Administrator to provide certain assistants to recipients of the program. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds.

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, requires the Department of Education to include the teaching of financial literacy in kindergarten through grade twelve. Requires students in grades nine through twelve to complete a one-half credit in financial literacy before graduation. Requires the Board of Education to provide professional development to teachers who are teaching financial literacy courses.

Increases the number of voter service centers in the State. Requiring all voter services centers to operate during the same days and hours statewide. Clarifies that during each day of operation, during all hours of operation, each voter service center is to provide in-person voter registration, receive absentee and election-by-mail ballots, allow voters to vote in person, and provide voting machine services for persons with disabilities. Appropriates moneys to the counties for the administrative costs of voter service centers.

Clarifies that the civil service exemption for personal service contracts for building, custodial, and grounds maintenance services with qualified community rehabilitation programs shall not cost more than $850,000 in the aggregate per private person or entity, regardless of the number of contracts or qualified community rehabilitation programs utilized for the personal service. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Establishes a Lava Zone Insurance Fund to subsidize the cost of insurance premiums for properties in lava zones 1 and 2. Defines lava zones 1 and 2. Appropriates funds.

Requires all performance incentive contracts to specify a pricing basis, performance goals, and a formula in calculating the contractor's profit, fees, or price decrease if the specified performance goals are exceeded or not met. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD1)

Requires the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to make all business registration applications available online. Requires all applications to contain certain contact information.

Requires the State or a county to reimburse an officer or employee within thirty calendar days of a request for reimbursement for travel costs that the officer or employee loaned to the State or a county. Requires the State or a county to pay a percentage of interest on the total amount owed to an officer or employee until the loan is fully reimbursed.