Establishes Braille literacy as a policy of the State. Requires literacy assessments for eligible low vision and blind students to include Braille instruction and the use of Braille. Authorizes the Department of Education to adopt administrative rules. Establishes the Braille Literacy Resource Center. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Appropriates moneys from the Act 279 Special Fund for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to purchase a parcel of land identified as tax map key: (1) 9-1-013-025. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)
Requires each purchasing agency to provide justification for hiring external consultants. Caps the amount each agency can spend on external consultants. Requires each agency to seek approval from the Legislature for consulting contracts exceeding a certain dollar amount. Requires each agency to disclose new contracts with external consultants. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Requires the Compliance Audit Unit to conduct regular audits of agency consultant contracts to assess cost-effectiveness and compliance. Requires each chief procurement officer to ensure that inherent government functions are not delegated to a contractor. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD2)
Establishes the Ohana Zones Program as a program within the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions. Authorizes the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to exempt ohana zones projects from general excise taxes. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Establishes the Aerospace and Aeronautics Development Program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Grants twenty-year licenses for casinos in the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District and Hawaii Convention Center. Establishes the Hawaii Gaming Control Commission. Imposes fifteen per cent wagering tax on gross receipts. Establishes the State Gaming Fund and Compulsive Gambler Program. Appropriates funds. (SD1)
SB 1043 reduces the general excise tax rate on nonprescription drugs by 50%. This change directly affects consumers who purchase nonprescription medications, lowering their out-of-pocket costs. The bill's key provision is halving the existing tax rate, effective July 1, 3000. It does not alter other tax rates or create new government programs. The bill passed a committee recommendation with four supportive votes in February 2025.
Appropriates funds for the establishment of five full-time equivalent (5.0 FTE) positions within the Civil Rights Compliance Branch of the Department of Education. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to develop and implement a grant program to expand the meat processing capacity in the State. Establishes requirements for grant applicants. Allows hunters access to qualifying meat processing facilities. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Allocates interest earned on balances within the emergency and budget reserve fund to the general fund in years in which the emergency and budget reserve fund's balance exceeds the State's fund balance objective. For any fiscal year following a fiscal year in which emergency and budget reserve fund interest is deposited into the general fund, requires the Governor to include in the budget or supplemental budget submitted to the Legislature a request that an amount of general funds equal to the amount of interest deposited be expended to advance projects that address climate change impacts. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
