Sen. Stanley Chang

Establishes the Blue Economy Working Group to study how to develop and support marine-based economic activities that align with the State's decarbonization and restorative food production goals. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Amends the State Internship and Workforce Development Program for the public sector by expanding the program to the Legislative and Judicial branches; limiting the internships to full-time placements of ten to eleven months; establishing eligibility criteria, application requirements, and selection preferences; and requiring the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to collaborate with coordinating agencies to promote the program and recruit eligible applicants. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to award monthly rent supplement payments on behalf of qualified tenants under the State Rent Supplement Program prioritizing certain tenants, including kupuna. Authorizes the HPHA to enter into memoranda of agreement for rental supplement payments with the counties or specialized nonprofit organizations. Amends provisions relating to the State Rent Supplement Program. Establishes the State Rent Supplement Program Special Fund. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to assess a transaction tax for each applicable recording in the Office of the Assistant Registrar of the Land Court or the Bureau of Conveyances to be deposited into the State Rent Supplement Program Special Fund. Repeals the existing separate State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna. Establishes four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist II positions and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist IV position within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to: (1) Establish a four-year Restorative Aquaculture Development Program to reduce aquaculture permit processing time, support aquaculture infrastructure expansion, increase the aquaculture workforce, and pursue federal aquaculture grants; (2) Establish three pilot demonstration sites for restorative aquaculture; and (3) Convene a Restorative Aquaculture Advisory Council. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Allows the Department of Land and Natural Resources to contract or form a partnership with private parties to assist with the maintenance and management of sunscreen dispensers at all state beaches, as well as publicize that the mineral-based sunscreen in these dispensers is more protective of the coral reefs of the State. Appropriates funds for the installation, maintenance, management, and operation of non-chemical sunscreen dispensers on all state beaches. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Establishes the Pro-Housing Score Program to evaluate each county's performance in expanding housing opportunities and reducing regulatory barriers. Requires the counties to publish their respective pro-housing scores online and the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to publish certain related information and data on a public dashboard. Establishes criteria for deeming a county noncompliant. Establishes builder's remedies for certain housing projects in transit-oriented development areas. Specifies that if a county is deemed noncompliant, the planning director or an equivalent county officer responsible for land use approvals shall be responsible for approving or denying certain affordable housing development applications. Establishes procedures for certain transit-oriented development housing project appeals. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Establishes a State goal to retrofit state facilities to be electric vehicle charger-ready. Beginning 7/1/2027, requires the design of all new state building construction that includes parking to ensure that at least ten per cent of parking stalls are electric vehicle charger-ready. Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office, in consultation with the Department of Accounting and General Services, Department of Transportation, and all other state agencies that own or manage state facilities that include parking, to conduct a survey and identify certain high-priority state facilities. Requires the Hawaii State Energy Office to assess the costs of, and install, retrofits and electric vehicle charging system at high priority state facilities. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2525. (SD1)

Establishes the position of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council Executive Director. Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, rather than the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, for the HISC for fiscal year 2026-2027. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Establishes a broad definition of "qualified health care provider" in numerous areas of existing law. Clarifies and standardizes references to specific health care providers. Updates outdated language to reflect correct terminology. Makes numerous clarifying and conforming amendments to support these changes, including but not limited to chapters related to health, education, insurance, professions and vocations, the pain patient's bill of rights, the Uniform Probate Code, minors, the Child Protective Act, and the Penal Code. Repeals the obsolete Hawaii Health Corps. Effective 1/30/2050. Implementation effective 7/1/2028. (SD1)

Establishes the Hawaii Agricultural Transportation Assistance Program, to consist of a reimbursement program and a grant program within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, to assist certain farmers and livestock producers with transportation costs for agricultural products, inputs, supplies, and production and distribution of agricultural commodities. Establishes the Hawaii Agricultural Transportation Assistance Special Fund. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)