Requires the Department of Education to include the instruction of braille and provision of braille instructional materials under certain circumstances; provide braille literacy support services; cooperate with the Department of Human Services when requested to submit information necessary to maintain a register of the blind in the State; provide comprehensive information about braille literacy services, assistive technology devices, and assistive technology services, including educational programming options; and participate in the development of section 504 plans and individualized education programs. Appropriates funds. (CD1)
Establishes the Kuleana AgTech Pathways Program to create career pipelines in the fields of agriculture and agricultural technology. Requires the University of Hawaii to collaborate with the Department of Education, Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and appropriate community organizations to develop and administer the program. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Expands the definition of "eligible business activity" for the purposes of the Enterprise Zone Program to include certain research and development activities and information technology design and production services. Authorizes the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to declare up to two census tracts in the State that contain an innovation enterprise to be designated as an enterprise zone, subject to the Governor's approval. Requires DBEDT to conduct an in-house comprehensive review, in consultation with the Department of Taxation, of the State Enterprise Zones Program and requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
HB 2114 creates the Hawaii Benefits Hub within the state's Office of Enterprise Technology Services to centralize access to human services. It requires the Chief Information Officer to develop and implement a single statewide portal for residents to apply for government benefits, replacing current fragmented systems. The bill appropriates funding for this portal's development and operation, effective July 1, 2030. This directly affects Hawaii residents seeking services like food assistance, healthcare, or housing support by simplifying their application process.
Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to assist small businesses with technology enablement and develop project management software to simplify the facilitated application process for small businesses. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Establishes state goals related to economic diversification. Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Technology and Development Corporation to meet those goals. Requires the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to submit annual reports over three years to the legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to assist small businesses, including those related to the tourism sector, with technology enablement. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Requires the Chief Data Officer to enhance the State's open data portal website through the phased development and publishing of an artificial intelligence chatbot and necessary data visualizations on statewide shared data sets to assist the public. Requires the Chief Data Officer to develop a system to evaluate and select artificial intelligence governance tools for use by state departments and agencies and establish a mechanism for reporting and publication of artificial intelligence use cases and artificial intelligence vendors used by the departments and agencies. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)
Declares that the State is an ocean cluster. Establishes the Office of Marine Affairs within the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation for administrative purposes only. Establishes and appropriates funds for the Marine Affairs Coordinator position. Requires the Marine Affairs Coordinator to submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. Transfers the functions of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Marine Affairs to the Office of Marine Affairs. Appropriates funds for the Office of Marine Affairs to procure the services of a consultant to support the marine affairs declaration of intent. Effective 7/1/3050. (SD1)
Requires the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to establish the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Matching Program. Requires the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, in collaboration with the Department of Education, to establish a STEM education outreach program, under which recipients of funds from the SBIR Matching Program must deliver presentations to public school students. Requires and appropriates funds for the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation to develop an Economic Diversification Strategic Plan. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds for economic diversification and defense ecosystem development. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
