OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER
THIRTY-THIRD STATE LEGISLATURE
COMMITTEE REFERRALS
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NO. 18
25th LEGISLATIVE DAY-MARCH 4, 2025
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Committee Abbreviations:
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AGR - Agriculture & Food Systems |
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CAA - Culture & Arts |
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CPC - Consumer Protection & Commerce |
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ECD - Economic Development & Technology |
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EDN - Education |
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EEP - Energy & Environmental Protection |
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FIN - Finance |
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HED - Higher Education |
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HLT - Health |
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HSG - Housing |
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HSH - Human Services & Homelessness |
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JHA - Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs |
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LAB - Labor |
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LMG - Legislative Management |
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PBS - Public Safety |
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TOU - Tourism |
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TRN - Transportation |
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WAL - Water & Land |
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Committee |
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REFERRAL
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RELATING TO FIREWORKS. Appropriates moneys for the Illegal Fireworks Task Force. Extends the sunset date of the task force from 6/30/2025 to 6/30/2030. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO BRIBERY. Establishes heightened penalties for the offense of bribery, under certain circumstances. (SD1)
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JHA |
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RELATING TO ETHICS ADMINISTRATIVE FINES. Establishes uniform provisions for the assessment of administrative penalties under the State Ethics Code and Lobbyist Law.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO THE GENERAL FUND. Provides a tax credit to taxpayers and makes deposits to the emergency and budget reserve fund and other post-employment benefits trust fund pursuant to article VII, section 6, of the Hawaii State Constitution. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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FIN |
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RELATING TO REVOLVING FUNDS. Requires the Legislature, in establishing or reviewing a revolving fund, to ensure the revolving fund is financially self-sustainable by either annual projections that show that the revolving fund will be sustainable without appropriations of general funds or a schedule of projected collections of outstanding payments to the revolving fund. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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FIN |
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RELATING TO INTERNSHIPS. Permits the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to enter into contracts with eligible employers or registered apprenticeship programs in the private sector to provide on-the-job training to eligible interns. Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to collaborate with the Department of Human Resources Development for certain portions of the on-the-job-training work experience program. Provides that the State shall be the responsible employer for purposes of workers' compensation coverage for students or recent graduates in the on-the-job-training work experience program, subject to certain limitations. (SD2)
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LAB, FIN |
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RELATING TO WATER POLLUTION. Requires at least fifty per cent of treatment works effluent to be R-1 recycled water by January 1, 2045. Amends the year by which no treated or raw sewage shall be discharged into state waters.
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EEP, FIN |
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RELATING TO RECYCLING. Establishes an End-of-Life Lithium-ion Battery Management Working Group. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 1/1/2026. (SD1)
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EEP, CPC |
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RELATING TO THE EARLY LEARNING BOARD. Adds the Director of the Hawaii Head Start State Collaboration Office, or their designee, as an ex officio, non-voting member to the Early Learning Board. Requires the Early Learning Board to invite the President of the Head Start Association of Hawaii, or their designee, to serve as an ex officio, non-voting member of the Board. Requires the Early Learning Board to invite a representative of local providers of early childhood education and development services to serve as an ex officio, non-voting member if no voting member fulfills that role. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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EDN, JHA |
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RELATING TO TAXATION. Requires the Department of Taxation to provide refunds to taxpayers at the same interest rate as the federal government. Effective 7/1/2025. (SD1)
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FIN |
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RELATING TO THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL. Provides that no person shall serve as State Fire Marshal for more than three terms. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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LAB, FIN |
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RELATING TO EDUCATION. Establishes the Future Career and Technical Education Teacher Scholarship Program to be administered by the Department of Education to facilitate the recruitment and retention of career and technical education teachers in Hawaii public schools. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)
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EDN, FIN |
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RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS. Requires that lands within the agricultural district that have solar energy facilities must also obtain certification from the Department of Agriculture that the lands are also used for a farming operation. (SD1)
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AGR/EEP, CPC |
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RELATING TO A DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PILOT PROGRAM. Establishes a hiring pilot program within the Department of Health, which includes an amended hiring procedure for delegated position classifications, certain flexibilities regarding minimum qualifications for positions having a salary range at or below SR-10, the ability to directly hire certain individuals into a civil service position if certain conditions are met, and the authority to make certain temporary appointments at the merited civil service pay scale without step limitation. Applies to recruitments initiated before 7/1/2028. Requires annual reports to the Legislature.
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HLT, LAB, FIN |
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RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. Appropriates funds to the Agribusiness Development Corporation to acquire a conservation easement in Central Oahu. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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AGR, FIN |
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RELATING TO EDUCATION. Requires a local investor-owned electric utility to provide and fund support to public schools impacted by the utility's planned public safety power shutoff program. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)
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EEP, EDN, CPC |
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RELATING TO THE FOOD HUB PILOT PROGRAM. Appropriates funds for the continued implementation of the Food Hub Pilot Program. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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AGR, FIN |
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RELATING TO THE ESTATE TAX. Amends the exclusion amount of Hawaii's estate tax. Repeals exemption for tax imposed on transfer of taxable estate located in Hawaii for nonresidents and nonresidents who are not citizens. Applicable to decedents dying or taxable transfers occurring after 12/31/2024. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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FIN |
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RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS. Establishes within the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority the Condominium Loan Program to provide qualified condominium associations with low-cost financing or refinancing on previously obtained loans for maintenance and essential repairs. Establishes the Condominium Loan Loss Reserves Program to incentivize lenders into providing loans at competitive rates and terms for the purpose of allowing condominium associations to make necessary maintenance or repairs. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds into and out of the Condominium Loan Revolving Fund. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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CPC, FIN |
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RELATING TO MARINE LIFE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish and conduct the Marine Life Conservation District Carrying Capacity Program. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to submit a report to the Legislature and adopt administrative rules. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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WAL, FIN |
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RELATING TO AGRICULTURE. Appropriates funds to establish a permanent Educational Support Associate position within the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience's Kona Cooperative Extension. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)
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HED, FIN |
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RELATING TO TAXATION. Requires the Department of Taxation to submit an annual report to the Legislature detailing an organizational chart and staffing plan and requirements for the Information Technology Services Office. (SD1)
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LAB, FIN |
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RELATING TO THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING OF ANIMALS. Establishes the Spay and Neuter Special Fund to reduce pet overpopulation and the reproduction of free-roaming cats. Establishes various revenue and fundraising sources for the special fund. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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AGR, CAA, FIN |
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RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH. Establishes and appropriates moneys for a Mental Health Emerging Therapies Special Fund, to be administered by the Department of Health. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)
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HLT, FIN |
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RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. Renames the Electric Bicycle and Electric Moped Rebate Program to the Electric Mobility Rebate Program. Expands eligibility and amends the maximum rebate amounts. Prohibits individuals under 15 years of age from riding electric bicycles. Amends the age requirement for helmet use from 16 to 18 years of age. Allows use of electric bicycles on public sidewalks, subject to certain conditions. Establishes rules for electric bicycle operation. Defines "electric motorcycle". Prohibits individuals under 18 years of age from operating an electric motorcycle or motor-driven cycle. Requires that electric motorcycle operators carry an insurance policy by incorporating electric motorcycles into the insurance laws governing motorcycles and motor scooters, including with respect to provisions concerning required licensure, the relationship with tort law, proof of insurance card, penalties, rate regulation, and minimum coverage levels. Makes conforming amendments. Changes the term "motor scooter" to "motor-driven vehicle". Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)
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TRN, CPC/JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS. Establishes the Statewide Interagency Food Systems Coordination Team and the Interagency Food Systems Working Group within the Agribusiness Development Corporation. Requires reports to the Legislature. (SD2)
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AGR, ECD, FIN |
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RELATING TO AIRCRAFT. Requires the Director of Transportation to adopt rules that require tour aircraft operators to carry aircraft liability insurance coverage. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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TRN, CPC |
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RELATING TO GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES. Appropriates funds to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for continued exploration and identification of geothermal resources and commercial viability for utility-scale geothermal production in counties with a population of less than 300,000. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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EEP/ECD, CPC, FIN |
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RELATING TO THE GENERAL EXCISE TAX. Exempts from the state general excise tax any grants received from the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund by an eligible business pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Requires any state general excise taxes paid by eligible businesses for Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants to be refunded to the taxpayer. Effective 7/1/2050. Applies retroactively to 3/11/2021. (SD1)
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ECD, FIN |
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RELATING TO ENERGY INDUSTRY INFORMATION REPORTING. Adds the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security to the list of agencies that may examine the energy industry information statements submitted pursuant to section 486J-3, HRS. Adds the promotion of emergency management and critical infrastructure protection as relevant purposes of the Energy Data Collection Program.
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EEP, JHA |
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RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND BASE COMPOSITE MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION. Effective 1/1/2026, increases the employer base composite monthly contribution to the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund by 5.2 percent of the 2025 employer base composite monthly contribution. Effective 1/1/2027, requires that the employer base composite monthly contribution be calculated based on the change in Medicare Part B premiums from 2025 to 2026 and at a two-year lag thereafter.
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LAB, FIN |
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RELATING TO THE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM'S EMPLOYER REPORTING REVIEW. Adds a year between the review period and the billing due date and changes reporting of review results from the current fiscal year to the previous fiscal year.
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LAB, FIN |
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RELATING TO THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD. Allows the Commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard to hold the rank authorized by the Department of the Air Force, which is currently Major General. Provides the Adjutant General with the flexibility to assign either the Chief of Staff or the Assistant Adjutant General to lead the Hawaii Air National Guard. Authorizes the pay and allowances for the Chief of Staff of the Hawaii Air National Guard to be determined according to the pay tables of the Regular Air Force of the United States. (SD1)
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PBS, FIN |
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RELATING TO COMPUTER SCIENCE LEGISLATIVE REPORT. Changes the due date of the Department of Education's annual computer science legislative report from June 30 to October 31. (SD1)
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EDN |
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RELATING TO THE USE OF PUBLIC LANDS. Requires the School Facilities Authority to consult with the Department of Education and other impacted departments or agencies before the conveyance of ownership rights or lease of lands to the School Facilities Authority. (SD1)
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EDN, WAL, JHA |
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RELATING TO ELECTIONS. Allows an on-call circuit judge in the relevant circuit to perform the duties of the Board of Registration for purposes of hearing elections disputes if the Board of Registration lacks full membership. Requires the Judiciary to designate one or more on-call circuit court judges in each circuit to perform the duties of the Board of Registration for purposes of hearing elections disputes. (SD1)
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JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO VEHICLE TITLE TRANSFERS. Clarifies that a transferor shall not be liable for any violation resulting from the operation of a transferred vehicle if the transferor complies with the portions of the statute requiring action on the transferor's part.
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TRN, JHA |
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RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII. Requires the Board of Regents or the President of the University of Hawaii to allocate general funds appropriated to the University of Hawaii to University of Hawaii program IDs in accordance with performance-based outcomes relating to student achievement and degree attainment. Requires the President to submit reports to the Legislature. Requires the President to propose at least three efficiency measures to the Director of Finance to produce a more effective budget.
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HED, FIN |
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RELATING TO SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST ALOUN KAUAI FARMING, AN AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISE, IN THE FINANCE, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF A PROJECT TO REVITALIZE THE DAIRY INDUSTRY. Authorizes the Department of Budget and Finance to issue special purpose revenue bonds to assist Aloun Kauai Farming, LLC, in the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of an integrated dairy industry. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
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AGR, FIN |
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RELATING TO CHILD CARE. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish and implement an Early Learning Services Contracts Program to make available a designated number of seats at licensed infant and toddler child care centers and family child care centers for families referred by the Department at a negotiated rate and schedule. Requires the Department of Human Services to submit reports to the Legislature. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)
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HSH, FIN |
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RELATING TO NATURAL HAIR BRAIDING. Exempts natural hair braiders from licensing requirements under certain conditions.
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HLT, CPC |
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RELATING TO PUBLIC MEETINGS. Requires board packets to be posted three no later than 7:45 a.m. on the third business day before a public meeting. Requires boards to provide notice to persons requesting notification of meetings at the time the board packet is made available for public inspection. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)
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LAB, JHA |
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RELATING TO TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT. Establishes the Transit Oriented Community Improvement Partnership within the Department of Transportation. Establishes the Community Improvement Revolving Fund. Allows for transfers of land development rights to the Partnership. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)
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HSG/TRN, WAL, FIN |
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