This Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 8) urges Hawaii counties to approve or deny building permit applications for home safety modifications within 45 days of receiving a complete application. It specifically targets modifications - like ramps, grab bars, or widened doorways - prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider and deemed essential for the safety or health of older adults (62+) or people with disabilities. The resolution does not create new law but encourages counties to act faster to reduce delays that contribute to fall-related injuries and hospitalizations, citing 2023 data showing over 200 preventable fall deaths among seniors.
Senate Resolution 7 affirms Hawaii's support for the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires hospitals to provide life-saving emergency care - including abortion services when medically necessary - to stabilize pregnant patients experiencing medical emergencies. The resolution urges all Hawaii hospitals, regardless of religious affiliation, to uphold EMTALA's requirements and ensure no pregnant patient faces delays or denials of timely emergency care. This is a declaratory statement of policy, not a new law, aimed at reinforcing existing federal standards and clarifying Hawaii's commitment to reproductive healthcare access during medical emergencies.
This bill authorizes the Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives to manage official legislative business during the break between the 2026 and 2027 sessions, extending authority until January 20, 2027. It allows the Speaker to spend remaining funds, hire staff, and establish committees with powers to hold hearings and issue subpoenas. Additionally, the Speaker can approve the official record of House proceedings and receive periodic reports from any interim committees formed.
This Senate resolution authorizes the Senate President to manage unfinished legislative tasks after the 2026 session ends. It grants the President power to spend remaining funds, hire temporary staff, approve official records, and run authorized committees until January 20, 2027. The measure also allows the Vice President to handle duties assigned by Senate rules during this interim period. Essentially, it provides legal authority for the Senate leadership to wrap up official business between legislative sessions.
This Senate resolution directs that any bills, concurrent resolutions, or resolutions currently sitting in standing committees without a report be sent back to the Clerk's Desk. The measure applies to all legislative measures from both the Senate and the House of Representatives that were referred to committees but not reported by the end of the session. By returning these items, the resolution effectively halts their further consideration in committees until new action is taken.
This legislative resolution informs the Senate and Governor that the House of Representatives is ready to end its session permanently. It serves as a procedural step to signal that the House has completed its work and is prepared to adjourn. The document does not create new laws or policies but simply communicates the House's readiness to conclude the legislative session.
This bill urges Maui Health to work with state agencies, medical schools, and community health centers to create a full-time medical residency program on Maui. It highlights the island's severe shortage of physicians, which worsened after the 2023 wildfires and currently leaves many residents without access to primary care and specialized services. The resolution specifically asks Maui Health to use available federal funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program to help cover the costs of establishing the program. Additionally, the bill requires Maui Health to report its progress and recommendations to the Legislature within 20 days before the 2027 session begins.
This bill requests the Governor's Senior Advisor for Mental Health and the Justice System to develop a plan for increasing access to the Hawaii State Hospital for mentally ill criminal defendants and individuals recently released from the hospital who are at risk of returning to the justice system. The resolution addresses concerns that the hospital is currently at full capacity and that existing diversion programs have not effectively reduced the jail population due to a lack of coordination between state agencies. The plan must identify suitable placements for people in civil commitment or those being evaluated for fitness to stand trial, with a report and any proposed legislation due to the Legislature before the start of the 2027 session.
This bill encourages Hawaii County to work with the Puako community, the Department of Health, and other partners to finish the Puako Sewage Project, which aims to replace aging cesspools with modern wastewater systems. The project combines advanced wastewater collection technology with fiber optic internet infrastructure to address both environmental pollution and the digital divide in rural areas. By using a public-private partnership model, the initiative seeks to create a replicable solution that can help other communities across Hawaii tackle similar sewage challenges while restoring local coral reefs.
This bill requests the Hawaii State Center for Nursing to compile and maintain a public list of recommended safe patient staffing ratios for all nursing specialties across various healthcare settings. The measure aims to address concerns about nurse workload and patient safety by gathering existing standards from other states and industry recommendations rather than setting new legal requirements. Healthcare facilities are urged to consider these compiled ratios when determining staffing levels, and the information will be made publicly available before the 2027 legislative session. The resolution focuses on creating a centralized resource to inform decision-making by providers, policymakers, and the public about staffing standards.
This bill requests the University of Hawaii to create a specific language pathway for the Niihau dialect of Hawaiian, recognizing it as distinct from other Hawaiian language programs. The resolution acknowledges that Niihau speakers maintain a unique dialect due to the island's isolation and continued use of Hawaiian as their primary language of thought. It aims to protect this linguistic heritage by formally requesting the university to accommodate Niihau-specific language education rather than integrating it into general Hawaiian language curricula. The measure directs a copy of the resolution to the University of Hawaii System president to facilitate implementation of this educational pathway.
This bill asks the University of Hawaii Board of Regents to conduct a systemwide audit to find students who have earned enough credits for an associate degree but haven't been awarded one. The audit will specifically look at students who transferred from community colleges to four-year campuses or left the system after accumulating sufficient credits. The university is also asked to study how to create pathways for awarding these earned degrees and report findings to the legislature by March 2027.
