Sen. Glenn Wakai

Maddy summarySB 3238 establishes a language access education and workforce development program at the University of Hawaii to train professionals in providing language services. It appropriates state funds to support this program, which directly affects communities with limited English proficiency and government agencies needing interpreters or translators. The key mechanism is creating a dedicated training initiative at UH to build a skilled workforce for language access services. This bill focuses on concrete policy changes by funding workforce development rather than altering existing services or regulations.

Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to convene a Bona Fide Farmer Working Group to develop multi-tiered, matrix-based definitions for the terms "bona fide farmer" and "bona fide agricultural activity". Requires a report to the Legislature. (CD1)

Appropriates funds to establish a bachelor's degree program in agricultural science at the University of Hawaii-West Oahu; to fund one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position; and for supplies and equipment to support the programs. (CD1)

Exempts concessions within the Stadium Facility that are under the jurisdiction of the Stadium Authority from chapter 102, HRS, governing concession on public property. Allows the naming rights of the Stadium Facility to be leased to any public or private entity. Requires any revenues derived from advertising or marketing in or on the Stadium Facility to be deposited into the Stadium Development Special Fund. (CD1)

Authorizes the mayor of each county to implement a pilot program to improve the speed, accountability, and quality of permit processing within that county through targeted staffing, performance incentives, and interdepartmental competition. Authorizes increased pay for certain permitting positions and requires county personnel departments to prioritize the hiring of permitting positions as part of the pilot program. Requires participating county mayors and county agencies to establish goals for the pilot program. Requires participating county agencies to submit quarterly reports to the respective county councils on the pilot program. Sunsets the pilot project on 6/30/2030. (CD1)

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish performance-based incentives, including revenue adjustment mechanisms, cost control mechanisms, and reward and penalty mechanisms on or before 1/1/2027. Clarifies that the Public Utilities Commission is authorized to adopt alternative ratemaking procedures to establish electric utility rates and performance-based incentives. (CD1)

Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop and implement a project to improve portions of Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor while ensuring public access, as envisioned by the 2022 University of Hawaii Community Design Center Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor Vision Report. Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural Resources to lease the remaining portion of Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor; provided that the lease shall expire on or before 6/30/2046. Repeals provisions relating to the leasing of certain fast and submerged lands of Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. (CD1)

Requires purchasing agencies to apply a five per cent flat rate local preference in evaluating bids or proposals from qualified Hawaii bidders or offerors who submit a timely preference certification. Establishes criteria for a bid or proposal to qualify for a local preference. Establishes requirements for the qualification and certification of Hawaii bidders and offerors and consequences for failure to maintain qualification. Requires the Procurement Policy Board to adopt rules. (CD1)

Requires veterinarians to provide a written prescription, upon the request of a client, for any animal patient of a client with whom the veterinarian has established an existing veterinarian-client-patient relationship, to be filled at the pharmacy of the client's choosing. Allows pharmacies licensed in the State to dispense medications prescribed by veterinarians. Specifies that violators may be subject to disciplinary action by the Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine, which may include fines or suspension or revocation of a license. (CD1)

Part I: Substitutes the word "tax increment" with "resilient infrastructure for shelter and equity" for purposes of the Resilient Infrastructure for Shelter and Equity Act, except under certain circumstances. Part II: Conforms state law concerning county debt limits to permit counties to exclude resilient infrastructure for shelter and equity bonds from the debt limit of the counties, if a constitutional amendment authorizing the use of resilient infrastructure for shelter and equity bonds and excluding resilient infrastructure for shelter and equity bonds from determinations of the counties' funded debt is ratified. (CD1)