Standardizes annual independent financial audits for public charter schools. Authorizes sanctions for noncompliance with independent financial audits. Requires the Board of Education, the Public Charter School Authorizer, and Auditor to review the annual independent financial audits. Allows the Auditor to conduct its own financial audit if a public charter school is a high risk for insolvency. Requires for 2026-2027, the Auditor to conduct its own one-time financial audit of each charter school in addition to the annual independent financial audits and requires a report to the Legislature. Requires State Public Charter School Commission to take action based on Auditor's recommendations in the one-time financial audits. Appropriates moneys.
Establishes provisions allowing registered voters to propose statutory and constitutional amendments by initiative and to approve or reject those amendments by ballot, as provided by law. Clarifies requirements and procedures for the initiative petition, the initiative measure, and the ballot containing the initiative measure. Requires the Attorney General to review all initiative petitions for validity and to provide a summary and explanation for each initiative measure in the digital voter information guide. Requires the Chief Election Officer to certify every Attorney General-approved initiative petition for sufficient number of valid signatures. Clarifies conflicts between initiative measures and contrary or similar bills. Requires the Office of Elections to adopt rules. Takes effect upon ratification of a constitutional amendment authorizing the electorate to propose ballot initiatives and to approve or reject them as provided by law.
Requires the Department of Education to establish a student bus fare rate system that includes free bus passes for students whose household qualifies the student for free lunch or reduced price lunch under the free and reduced price lunch program. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
Requires the Campaign Spending Commission to send notices regarding unfiled, substantially defective, and substantially deficient reports by certified mail. Requires the Commission to specify in substantial defect and deficient report notices the nature of any substantial defect or deficiency. Allows recipients of substantial defect and deficient report notices to correct their reports up to 10 business days after the receipt of the notices. Defines the terms "substantially defective" and "substantially deficient".
Requires the Department of Education to establish a School Bus Driver Recruitment Grant Program. Establishes a School Bus Driver Recruitment Special Fund. Establishes a Repayment Signing Bonus Program. Establishes a School Bus Driver Outreach and Pathway Program. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
Directs the University of Hawaiʻi School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology to conduct a study that identifies, analyzes, and evaluates possible methods to capture, retain, and store rainwater and storm water runoff for counties with a population of more than five hundred thousand. Requires an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
Transfers powers, duties, personnel, personal property, and materials of the Aquaculture and Livestock Support Services Branch and Agricultural Development Division of the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Agribusiness Development Corporation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
For purposes of permissible uses in agricultural districts, establishes minimum requirements for income received from agricultural activity for a family occupying a farm dwelling. Provides that the definition of a "farm dwelling" includes agricultural activity that is considered a farming operation under section 165-2, HRS, and is conducted on more than 50 per cent of the entire lot.
Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish a medical treatment utilization schedule to standardize treatment for injured employees involved in workers' compensation claims.
Requires that employers pay all workers' compensation claims for compensable injuries and not deny claims without reasonable cause or during a pending investigation. Creates a presumption of compensability for claims submitted by employees excluded from coverage under the Hawaii prepaid health care act. Requires that employers notify medical services providers of any billing disagreements and allows providers to charge an additional rate to employers for outstanding balances owed for undisputed charges. Establishes dispute resolution procedures for employers and providers who have a reasonable disagreement over charges. Requires employers to deny a treatment plan within 3 days of receipt of a treatment plan or the treatment plan is deemed accepted.
Includes certain law enforcement administrators and employees of the Department of Law Enforcement as class A members of the pension and retirement systems and provides guidance for the computation of retirement benefits similar to police officers.
Expands under certain circumstances the types of employees protected by the Hawaii Employment Relations Act to include independent contractors and all individuals subject to the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.
