Addresses the change in federal law regarding Pell Grants by amending the Hawaii Community College Promise Program (Hawaii Promise) to provide scholarships for ninety-five percent of a student's unmet direct cost need and exclude grants, scholarships, and other funding sources from the calculation of Hawaii Promise awards, thereby allowing students to apply such funds toward indirect costs, including housing, food, and other living expenses, to reduce financial barriers and support student success. Changes Hawaii Promise from being a last-dollar award. Authorizes Hawaii Promise to coordinate with federal student aid programs to maximize total financial assistance available to students. Effective 7/1/2026. (CD1)
Deems a county inclusionary mandate as a form of development exaction and treats the mandate as a housing affordability impact fee. Provides parameters for a county's adoption or amendment of an inclusionary mandate for residential or mixed-use development. Establishes additional components for a needs assessment study for a county-imposed inclusionary mandate. Conditions the adoption or amendment of a county inclusionary mandate for residential or mixed-use development on written findings of essential nexus and rough proportionality and a determination of financial feasibility. (CD1)
By 1/1/2027, requires all state and county agencies that operate protected community locations to adopt and post written policies that identify nonpublic areas, establish procedures for warrant verification and staff response, prohibit the collection of certain immigration-status data, and require annual staff training and certain multilingual notices. Requires the Attorney General to publish model policies. (CD1)
This Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to study whether current state anti-discrimination laws apply to decisions made by artificial intelligence and automated systems. The bill directs the commission to examine how these technologies are used in areas like hiring, housing, and credit, and to identify any legal gaps or challenges in addressing potential discrimination. The commission must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027, which could lead to new rules or laws if needed. This measure does not change existing laws immediately but initiates an official review of how civil rights protections work in the age of automated decision-making.
This Hawaii Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 11) requests the U.S. Congress to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to add explicit protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It seeks to prohibit such discrimination in key areas including employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, and jury service. The resolution directly affects LGBTQ+ individuals who currently lack comprehensive federal protections in these contexts. Hawaii already provides similar state-level protections (through Act 40, 2022), but this resolution urges federal action to create uniform nationwide safeguards.
Requires state agencies that administer agricultural leases, licenses, development programs, or procurement involving agricultural products to award points or preferences to agricultural projects incorporating agricultural workforce housing. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to submit a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Establishes an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural workforce housing in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Restructures the conveyance tax to a marginal rate system for the sale of properties with residential use, adjusts the tax for multifamily properties to reflect value on a per-unit basis, and applies a cost-of-living adjustment to conveyance tax rates. Establishes the Transit-Oriented Development Infrastructure Subaccount within the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund. Allocates a portion of conveyance tax collections to the Transit-Oriented Development Infrastructure Subaccount and Hawaiian Home Lands Infrastructure and Housing Special Fund. Establishes and appropriates funds out of the Hawaiian Home Lands Infrastructure and Housing Special Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Establishes the Affordable Housing Land Inventory Task Force to conduct a study, subject to legislative appropriation, to assess the viability of housing development in transit-oriented development zones or other areas on state or county lands. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
This bill asks the Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission to study whether current state anti-discrimination laws cover decisions made by computer algorithms and automated systems. The Commission would examine if existing rules can handle discrimination claims involving artificial intelligence used in hiring, housing, credit, and public benefits. The study will also look at legal challenges, whether new guidance is needed, and if a complaint process should be created for these types of cases. The Commission must submit its findings and any suggested laws to the Legislature before the 2027 session begins. This is a non-binding request for analysis rather than a law that changes rules immediately.
