Sen. Stanley Chang

Requires the Department of Health, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Finance and Office of Enterprise Technology Services, and Department of Human Services, to establish and maintain an online clearinghouse enhanced by artificial intelligence of evidence-based treatment and prevention programs. Requires DOH to support the integration of artificial intelligence in the online clearinghouse. Requires DOH to ensure that any artificial intelligence model used in support of the online clearinghouse is subject to regular audits. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Permits the Department of Education and charter schools to hire unlicensed individuals as teachers on an emergency basis for five, rather than three, years. Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to adopt rules.

Authorizes the issuance of GO bonds and appropriates funds for capital improvements for the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience's Agricultural Research and Extension Station on Kauai.

Prohibits restaurants from imposing a mandatory gratuity service charge for food or beverage services unless the party includes ten or more customers, the service charge does not exceed eighteen per cent, and the customer is notified of the service charge.

Requires cardiovascular screening for students, including student athletes. Requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Health, to distribute educational and informational materials regarding sudden cardiac arrest. Requires the Department of Health to implement policies, programs, training, and continuing education that increase health care provider knowledge of cardiovascular screening guidelines.

Repeals existing law that preempts local ordinances or regulations that regulate the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices and voids any existing local laws and regulations conflicting with the state law governing smoking. Allows counties to adopt ordinances that regulate the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices that do not conflict with and are more stringent than the state law that governs smoking.

Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish and administer the Construction Worker COVID-19 Hazard Pay Program. Appropriates funds to pay eligible construction workers a one-time payment in recognition for essential labor performed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sunsets 6/30/2031.

Maddy summarySB 2609 would require drivers to wait until a pedestrian completely crosses the roadway within a crosswalk before proceeding. This bill directly affects drivers operating vehicles in areas with marked or unmarked crosswalks and pedestrians using those crosswalks. The key provision mandates that vehicles cannot move forward until pedestrians have fully exited the roadway. The bill aims to improve pedestrian safety at crosswalks by establishing a clear stopping requirement for drivers.

Requires the Board of Education to adopt a heat acclimatization and practice policy based on the Hawaii Athletic Trainers Association's Hawaii High School Athletic Association Heat Acclimatization and Practice Policy of 2017 for students in grades kindergarten to twelve in Department of Education schools and public charter schools statewide for certain physical activities. Appropriates funds.

Amends section 150A-58, Hawaii Revised Statute, to clarify that signatory industries to a biosecurity government-industry agreement shall not be liable for costs related to performing activities pursuant to the agreement. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish a working group that comprises signatories of the biosecurity government-industry agreements for joint-decision making.