Senate Pass Hundreds of Bills on Third Reading

E-Cig. Photo by Wendy Osher.

By Maui Now Staff

State Senators on Tuesday passed more than 300 bills on Third Reading before Thursday’s crossover deadline.

Among the bills that passed over include a measure that prohibits electronic cigarettes for anyone under 18 years of age, and a bill that creates a trust fund from public and private funding for Hawaiʻi’s elderly population. 

Other bills that were cleared by the full Senate include measures that create public and private partnerships to address the state’s critical infrastructure including expanding and sustaining broadband internet access; establishing the offense of sex trafficking as a class A felony; and continuing funding for the state’s Preschool Open Doors program. 

These bills will now crossover to the House for consideration on Thursday, March 12.

Other key bills that passed Third Reading include:

• SB1014, SD1 Defines specific rights granted to a person who is houseless including equal access to housing, jobs, and shelters, equal treatment by government agencies, and access to life- sustaining activities and essential services.
• SB286, SD2 Establishes the Office of the State Inspector General to investigate complaints alleging fraud, waste, abuse, or corruption by a state agency or quasi-public agency.
• SB 287, SD2 Appropriates funds for the implementation and administration of the election by mail program.
• SB375, SD2 Authorizes the growing of industrial hemp for certain purposes under specified conditions.
• SB387, SD2 Requires the University of Hawaiʻi to act jointly with the board of regents to establish and enforce an affirmative action consent standard for all policies and protocol relating to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
• SB752, SD1 Requires telecommunications carriers to release individuals from shared or family wireless plans, without charge, upon written request in documented instances of domestic violence.
• SB715, SD2 Requires the electric utility companies to develop a Renewable Portfolio Standard goal of 70% and 100% for 2035 and 2040, respectively, and the Public Utilities Commission to investigate the feasibility of updating and extending the RPS requirements to include large self-generators.
• SB682, SD2 Allows a qualifying patient, primary caregiver, or an owner or employee of a medical marijuana production center or dispensary to transport medical marijuana in any public place, under certain conditions.
• SB1374, SD2 Appropriates funds to study the possibility of exchanging state lands for certain parcels of land owned by Dole Food Company, Inc., that are suitable for long-term diversified agricultural production.
• SB 1037, SD2 Establishes a mandatory disclosure program for pesticide use by all persons or entities under certain circumstances.
• SB1280, SD2 Requires the public utilities commission to regulate transportation network companies and establishes requirements for persons who operate or serve as drivers for transportation network companies.
• SB717, SD2 Repeals the existing requirement that gasoline sold in the state for use in motor vehicles be composed of ten per cent ethanol.
• SB416, SD1 Authorize the use of the state highway fund for the establishment of cycle tracks, defines cycle tracks, clarifies the use of cycle tracks, and prohibits mopeds on bikeways.
• SB19, SD2 Extends the half percent county surcharge on the state tax to Dec. 31, 2027 to fund Oʻahu’s mass transit project.
• SB1014, SD1 Defines specific rights granted to a person who is houseless including equal access to housing, jobs, and shelters, equal treatment by government agencies, and access to life- sustaining activities and essential services.