Sen. Stanley Chang

Establishes the Hawaii tax credit scholarship program to benefit students with disabilities by providing scholarships to cover transportation costs and any other educational fees associated with a student attending a public school that is not in the service area where the student resides or a nonpublic special education school or program. Establishes eligibility criteria for students to apply for the scholarship program, responsibilities of the department of taxation and department of education, and eligibility criteria for nonprofit scholarship-funding organizations. Applies to tax years beginning after 12/31/17.

Requires the department of land and natural resources to develop an intake and dispatch training program to enable the department to efficiently and effectively receive and respond to information and reports relating to conservation and resource enforcement matters received on the division of conservation and resource enforcement's direct line. Appropriates funds to the department of land and natural resources to establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent civil service position to provide intake and dispatcher services for the division of conservation and resource enforcement.

Changes the amount deducted from the county surcharge on state tax to reimburse the State for costs of assessment, collection, and disposition from 10% of gross proceeds to the actual costs incurred by the State. Allows counties that have established a county surcharge on state tax to permanently extend the surcharge at a lower rate of 0.25%. Allows surcharge to be used for operating costs. Allows counties that have not yet established a surcharge to do so at a rate of 0.25%.

Establishes the state transit-oriented development authority to plan and coordinate development projects within the state-transit-oriented development district. Establishes the district within one-half mile of the sites of specified Honolulu rail transit stations.

Authorizes the issuance of $3,300,000 in general obligation bonds and appropriates funds for the construction of a new ferry pier at Lahaina small boat harbor. (SD1)

Part I: Appropriates funds for establishing, staffing, and operating two mobile clinics to serve the homeless population. Part II: Appropriates funds for establishing three specialty shelters to temporarily house and serve homeless individuals. Part III: Appropriates funds to the department of human services to study the impact and feasibility of creating an integrated database of certain information related to homeless individuals for providers of homeless services. Part IV: Requires the department of human services to establish puuhonua safe zones where homeless persons may reside. Appropriates funds. Part V: Appropriates funds for homeless outreach services and storage of homeless people's property. Part VI: Appropriates funds for outreach services to homeless persons with serious and persistent mental illness. Appropriates funds for services for homeless persons experiencing substance abuse. Part VII: Appropriates funds to assist the department of transportation with homelessness-related issues pertaining to security, health, and safety. (SD1)

Prevents the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) from approving power purchase agreements that prohibit the sale of energy to third parties or require utility consent to the sale of energy to third parties; provided that the PUC may approve a power purchase agreement for renewable energy, or any amendment, modification, or renewal thereof, that prohibits the sale of energy to third parties if the renewable energy will not be converted from electrical energy to another form of energy or will not be stored for later distribution to an electric utility.

Requires a biotechnology company that sells a genetically modified animal, plant, or seed that the company knows or has reason to believe will be used to produce an agricultural commodity to provide written disclosure of possible risks from the use of such an organism; written notice does not waive any liability a biotechnology company may have toward a purchaser.

Establishes the Technology Innovation Corporation, a corporation attached to the High Technology Development Corporation, to assist in attracting high technology development opportunities to the State. Appropriates funds. (SD1)

Specifies a customer has the right to rescind a deferred deposit by returning the principal amount used to fund the deferred deposit within a specified time frame. Permits customers to convert a deferred deposit into an installment loan plan in certain circumstances and specifies requirements for the installment loan plan. Protects against harmful collection practices. Defines annual percentage rate. Requires a check casher to post a notice informing customers that additional options may be available for safe, regulated, lower-cost, small dollar loans. Requires a check casher to provide a written agreement to a customer that clearly discloses specific information relating to the cost and fees associated with the deferred deposit, among other things. Caps the annual percentage rate at thirty-six per cent for deferred deposit of a personal check. Permits prepayment of deferred deposit agreements with no additional fees. (SD1)