Bills of interest for TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH

Committee on Finance, Amended Agenda #1, Room 308, 10:00 a.m.

HB2860, HD2 RELATING TO TAXATION. Exempts from general excise and use taxes the fuel sold from a foreign-trade zone for intrastate air transportation by common carriers. (Souki)

Committee on Finance, Amended Agenda #2, Room 308, 11:00 a.m.

HB2456, HD1 RELATING TO TAXATION. Excludes from gross income, adjusted gross income, and taxable income the value of health insurance and other benefits provided by an employer to an employee in excess of what the employer provides to single employees when such benefits are provided due to employee's status as a reciprocal beneficiary or domestic partner. (B. Oshiro)

Committee on Finance, Agenda #3, Room 308, 12:00 p.m.

HB2972, HD1 RELATING TO EDUCATION. Creates the Facilities Alignment Commission to establish criteria for the selection of public schools to be constructed, expanded, consolidated, or closed; and recommend areas for new school construction, schools for expansion, consolidation, or closure. (Takumi)

HB602, HD1 RELATING TO EDUCATION. Requires that $90 million be deposited into the state treasury in each fiscal year to the credit of the State Educational Facilities Improvement Special Fund for public school capital improvement program needs, by repealing the sunset date for Act 304, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006. (Takumi)

Committee on Finance, Agenda #4, Room 308, 1:00 p.m.

HB2908 RELATING TO AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS. Requires the auditor to submit an annual report to the Legislature identifying all audit recommendations more than one year old that have not been implemented. (M. Oshiro)

Committee on Finance, Agenda #5, Room 308, 2:15 p.m.

HB2685, HD1 RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY. Directs the Department of Public Safety and the Office of Planning to plan and design the construction and operation of a new minimum-security facility at a site with appropriate access to courts, public transportation, and other support services, and plan for additional community-custody beds at oahu Community Correctional Center. (M. Oshiro)

HB2438, HD1 RELATING TO CIGARETTES. Establishes a proces to ensure that only fire safe cigarettes are sold in Hawaii. (Yamane)

Committee on Judiciary, Room 325, 2:45 p.m.

HB2350, HD1 RELATING TO LANDOWNER LIABILITY FOR NATURAL CONDITIONS. Codifies common law regarding non-liablity of landowners regarding natural conditions on their land that cause damange outside the land. (Ito)

HB3136 RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES. Clarifies the law to ensure that local customs of caring for children outside the home by friends and relative are an available alternative when considering the custody of children. (Say BR)

HB2596, HD1 RELATING TO CHILDREN. Requires the Department of Human Services to investigate reports of drug use in the home of a child within 24 hours. Requires a parent, legal custodian, cohabitant, or caregiver to be drug free for at least 60 days prior to being allowed visitation with a child, and to participate in substance abuse treatment for at least one year before being awarded full custody of a child or being allowed to solely supervise the child. (Chong)

Decision Making only on:

HB2476 RELATING TO CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. Repeals existing prohibtion against dog fighting and enacts more comprehensive prohibition of dog fighting and related conduct. Provided enhanced penalties. (Heard on 2/21/08) (Mizuno)

HB2557 RELATING TO EVIDENCE. Protects the disclosure of sources for journalists and newscasters. Establishes an exception. (Heard on 2/5/08 – previous decision is being reconsidered.) (B. Oshiro)

Committee on Finance, Agenda #7, Room 308, 4:30 p.m.

HB2386 RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Requires an employer to pay temporary total disability benefits regardless of whether the employer controverts the right to benefits. Specifies that the employee's ability to return to work is to be decided by the employee's treating physician. (Sonson)

Committee on Finance, Agenda #8, Room 308, 5:00 p.m.

Decision Making only on:

HB2872 RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to extend the recreation-residence use leases at the Kokee and Waimea Canyon state parks for 5 years. Sunsets 01/01/12. (Sagum)

HB2099 RELATING TO INCOME TAX CREDIT. Provides a mandatory tax credit to taxpayers pursuant to article VII, section 6 of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii. (M. Oshiro)