This bill requires Hawaii counties to update their local laws to allow the construction of at least two accessory dwelling units on most residentially zoned lots to help address housing shortages. Counties must define reasonable standards for these units and ensure they are located in areas that meet specific planning criteria, such as proximity to mass transit or major roads, or in districts that can meet projected housing demand. Larger counties with populations of 500,000 or more must also permit additional units in existing apartment districts to meet future housing needs. While the law mandates these changes, it allows counties to deny permits if there is insufficient space on a specific lot to comply with the new requirements.
This bill directs Hawaii counties to allow residential housing in areas currently zoned for commercial use starting January 1, 2025. It requires each county to update its local building codes by that date to permit adaptive reuse of existing commercial buildings for residential purposes, including the construction of small micro units. The law also exempts these projects from certain parking and park dedication requirements if the building's size and footprint remain unchanged. While counties may limit these new residential uses to upper floors of buildings, the legislation aims to increase housing supply without expanding into undeveloped land.
This legislative message informs the Hawaii Legislature that Governor Josh Green signed SB2066 into law on May 28, 2024. The bill creates a new pathway for housing projects to receive exemptions from certain state planning, zoning, and construction rules. Under this alternative pathway, all units must be reserved for Hawaii residents who live in the state, own-occupy the home, and do not hold majority ownership in other residential properties. The law also requires county legislative bodies to approve or disapprove these projects within 45 days of receiving preliminary plans.
This bill allows election officials in Hawaii to use accurate copies of paper ballots instead of the original ballots when auditing electronic voting results. The law requires that ten percent of precincts using electronic systems be audited at random to verify that the machine counts match manual counts. Officials may now use these copies to perform the verification, which is intended to make the audit process more efficient without reducing its accuracy. The measure also sets conditions for using electronic tallies, such as requiring system inspections and prohibiting software changes for thirty days after an election.
This bill adjusts funding levels for various state correctional and health programs to address a budget gap caused by the removal of a previous rule that allowed departments to transfer money between programs. The legislation directly affects state agencies responsible for operating facilities such as the Halawa Correctional Facility, community correctional centers, intake service centers, and health care services. By increasing the allocated budgets for these specific items, the bill aims to ensure these departments have sufficient resources to manage their operations without needing to reallocate funds internally. The changes are designed to be budget neutral, meaning the total amount of money spent by the state remains the same while the distribution is modified to match anticipated activity levels.
This bill serves as a formal notification to the legislature that the Governor signed Act 025 into law on May 15, 2024. It does not create new policies or change existing laws but simply records the official enactment of the previously passed legislation. The measure directly affects the legislative record by confirming the bill's status as enacted law.
This bill is a procedural notice informing the legislature that the Governor signed Senate Bill 2841 into law on May 15, 2024. It does not create new policies or affect citizens directly but serves as an official record of the Governor's action. The text of the actual law, titled ACT 024, is available only in a PDF format and is not included in this document.
This bill, signed into law on May 13, 2024, provides an emergency appropriation of $179 million from the mass transit special fund to the Department of Budget and Finance. The legislation addresses a situation where previous revenue limits prevented the department from spending all available funds, resulting in a carryover balance that threatened to create another shortfall in the current fiscal year. By increasing the special fund ceiling, the bill allows the department to disburse the necessary money for mass transit operations without requiring additional legislative action. This measure directly impacts the state's mass transit funding and ensures that allocated resources can be used as intended for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
This bill amends the state budget to adjust funding levels for specific transportation programs, directly affecting the Department of Transportation. It addresses a funding gap caused by the removal of a previous rule that allowed departments to transfer money between programs to handle changing needs. The legislation moves approximately $3.95 million from the highways administration program to the Oahu highways program to purchase a replacement barrier transfer machine. These financial changes are designed to be budget neutral, meaning the total amount of money remains the same while being reallocated to address an immediate equipment need.
This bill officially notifies the Hawaii Legislature that the Governor signed Act 019 into law on May 13, 2024. The act updates the Department of Accounting and General Services to include new responsibilities such as managing state risk, overseeing fleet acquisitions, and providing centralized computer services. A key provision mandates that all new passenger cars purchased for the state fleet must be zero-emission vehicles starting January 1, 2022, with a requirement for all light-duty trucks and SUVs to follow suit by January 1, 2030. The law also grants the comptroller discretion to exempt vehicle purchases if zero-emission options are too expensive or unsuitable for specific needs. These changes take effect on July 1, 2024.
This bill is a procedural message from the Governor of Hawaii to the Legislature informing them that HB2216 was signed into law on May 13, 2024. The actual policy changes in the bill take effect on October 1, 2024, and involve updating payment rates for residents in specific care facilities. Under the new rules, the state will increase supplemental payments for eligible individuals in certain adult residential care homes and developmental disabilities domiciliary homes. Additionally, the law clarifies the conditions under which a care facility can remove a resident, ensuring removal only occurs if the resident needs a higher level of care or no longer needs domiciliary care.
This Hawaii bill increases the monthly personal needs allowance for residents of long-term care facilities from $50 to $75 to better cover daily living expenses. The law clarifies that this state payment is supplemental to federal benefits and does not change eligibility requirements for those funds. Additionally, the bill requires facility operators to provide generic toiletries, linens, and snacks for outings without using the residents' allowance money. These changes take effect on October 1, 2024, and apply to various types of adult care homes and nursing facilities across the state.
