KA ‘AHA KENEKOA
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2025
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Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz, Chair |
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Senator Sharon Y. Moriwaki, Vice Chair |
NOTICE OF DECISION MAKING
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DATE: |
Thursday, February 27, 2025 |
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TIME: |
10:30 AM |
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PLACE: |
Conference Room 211 & Videoconference State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
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PHOTO ID REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE TO THE STATE CAPITOL
BUILDING HOURS: 7AM TO 5PM, MONDAY - FRIDAY
A live stream of all Senate Standing Committee meetings will be available on the Senate YouTube Channel.
A G E N D A
The following measure(s) were previously heard in their respective subject matter committees:
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RELATING TO THE RENTAL HOUSING REVOLVING FUND. Renames the Rental Housing Revolving Fund to the State Housing Revolving Fund (SHRF). Clarifies the prioritization of funds from the SHRF and eligible applicants of the SHRF. Amends the preference criteria and eligibility requirements for applicant developers seeking assistance from the SHRF. (SD1)
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HOU, WAM |
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RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERIES. Establishes a two-year Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling and Reuse Working Group within the Hawaii State Energy Office. Requires the working group to examine how to maximize the recycling and reuse of electric vehicle batteries and recommend electric vehicle battery management practices. Requires a report to the Legislature. (SD1)
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EIG/AEN, WAM |
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RELATING TO AQUACULTURE. Authorizes the Division of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture to adopt, amend, and repeal rules to develop an assessment and approval process to import and move aquatic livestock in the State. Requires the Aquaculture Program to develop a biological aquatic risk-based framework and biocontainment standards for the aquatic livestock assessment and approval process. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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AEN, WAM |
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RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES. Appropriates funds to be expended by the Department of Human Services to increase funding for Medicaid in-home services. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. Establishes a working group within the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to identify existing mixed-use developments in Maui County that could be acquired by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation for use as affordable housing and commercial rental leases. Requires a report to the Legislature.
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HOU, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE HAWAII ABLE SAVINGS PROGRAM. Repeals language that gives the Director of Finance discretion to use moneys in the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund if the Director elects to accept deposits from contributors instead of sending deposits directly to the ABLE Program Manager. Authorizes the Director of Finance to expend moneys in the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund to provide incentive payments to ABLE account owners. Appropriates funds. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE CENTER FOR CLIMATE RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT. Appropriates funds for the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology within the University of Hawaii at Manoa to establish and operate a Center for Climate Resilient Development. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)
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HRE/AEN, WAM |
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RELATING TO ENERGY. Establishes the Wildfire Liability Trust Fund to be administered by the Hawaii Electricity Reliability Administrator. Requires, rather than allows, the Public Utilities Commission to contract for a HERA and require payment of the Hawaii electricity reliability surcharge. Effective 5/13/2040. (SD2)
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EIG/CPN, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services to improve Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program rates, including establishing additional positions. Effective 7/1/2027. (SD1)
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. Requires the Department of Human Services to adjust the minimum certification periods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits households, participate in the Elderly Simplified Application Project, and report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2027. (SD1)
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to assist small businesses with technology enablement. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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EDT, WAM |
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RELATING TO TAXATION. Exempts the sale of groceries and nonprescription drugs from the general excise tax. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)
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HHS/LBT, WAM |
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RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. Requires the Department of Transportation to adopt rules governing a clean fuel standard for alternative fuels in the State. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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TCA/AEN, WAM |
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RELATING TO VETERANS CEMETERIES. Establishes the Veterans Cemeteries Board within the Office of Veterans' Services of the Department of Defense to provide veterans cemeteries in the State with guidance, education, technical assistance, and other support to ensure compliance with standards set by the National Cemetery Administration of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (SD1)
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PSM, WAM |
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RELATING TO STATE FUNDS. Establishes the Climate Mitigation and Resiliency Special Fund. Requires the allocation of all earned interest from the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund to the newly established special fund. Requires a portion of the revenues from the Transient Accommodations Tax to be allocated to the newly established special fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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AEN, WAM |
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RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Establishes the Climate Mitigation and Resiliency Special Fund to be administered by the Department of Defense to advance projects addressing climate change impacts. Requires the DOD to convene a selection committee to review and recommend projects for Climate Mitigation and Resiliency Special Fund allocation. Requires the Adjutant General to adopt rules. Establishes the Economic Development and Revitalization Special Fund to be administered by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for projects advancing economic development or revitalization; infrastructure within tourism districts or resort areas; climate change mitigation, adaptation, or resiliency; and tourism marketing. Requires DBEDT to establish procedures for receiving and evaluating project proposals for Economic Development and Revitalization Special Fund allocation. Requires DBEDT to submit annual reports to the Legislature. Beginning 1/1/2026, increases the Transient Accommodation Tax and allocates a portion thereof to the Climate Mitigation and Resiliency Special Fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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EDT/AEN, WAM |
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MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. Provides an emergency appropriation for the Department of Human Services to reinvest in the ongoing development of a new eligibility system for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Makes an emergency appropriation for fiscal year 2024-2025. Declares that the general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 has been exceeded. (SD1)
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HHS, WAM |
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MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR CONSTRUCTION DEFECT REMEDIATION AT THE HAWAII STATE HOSPITAL. Makes an emergency Appropriation of $8,160,000 from the general fund to the Department of Health to fund construction defect remediation, including the payment of legal fees and cost of special deputies attorney general, of the Hale Hoʻola Building of the Hawaii State Hospital. Declares that the general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 has been exceeded. (SD1)
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO ENERGY. Allows the State to enter into step-in agreements for payment obligations arising under certain power purchase agreements. Establishes the Power Purchasing Costs Trust Fund. Establishes that revenues from on-bill charges for power purchase agreements and accompanying reserves shall be held in trust by the State, and that independent power producers shall hold a beneficial interest in the revenue and reserve to the extent of the amounts owed under the covered power purchase agreements. Appoints, authorizes, and empowers an electric utility to serve as the billing, collection, payment, and managing agent of the Department of Budget and Finance in the service of performing step-in agreements. Effective 5/13/2040. (SD1)
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EIG/CPN, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TOXICOLOGY TESTING LABORATORY. Extends the lapse date for funds appropriated out of the Drug and Alcohol Toxicology Testing Laboratory Special Fund for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 for the establishment and maintenance of a drug and alcohol toxicology testing laboratory. (SD1)
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TCA/HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE WAIAHOLE WATER SYSTEM. Appropriates funds for the Waiahole Water System for bond debt service and tunnel repair. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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EDT, WAM |
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Decision making meeting only, no oral testimony will be accepted.
Persons wishing to submit written testimony may do so up to 24 hours prior to the hearing. Click here to submit written testimony.
All testimony received by the Hawai‘i Senate is posted on the Hawai‘i Legislature's website, which is accessible to the public. Please do not include private information that you do not want disclosed to the public.
For special assistance: The cable TV broadcast and/or live stream of this meeting will include closed captioning. If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, please call the committee clerk at the telephone number listed below or email WAMcommittee@capitol.hawaii.gov. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.
FOR AMENDED NOTICES: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are underscored. If a measure is both underscored and stricken through, that measure has been deleted from the agenda.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT (808) 586-6800.
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_____________________________________ Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz Chair |
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