Rep. Matthias Kusch

Maddy summaryHCR 137 is a resolution urging the Hawaii Department of Transportation, Department of Education, and City and County of Honolulu to improve safety at the Kipapa Elementary School crosswalk on Kuahelani Avenue. It specifically recommends installing warning signage before the road curve, adding speed bumps with signage, placing "STOP Here for Pedestrians" signs 50 feet prior to the crosswalk, and adding solar-powered flashing signs at the crosswalk itself. These measures aim to address documented risks, including blind spots from parked cars and high traffic speeds, to better protect students crossing the busy thoroughfare. The resolution does not create new law but formally requests these visibility enhancements from relevant agencies.

Maddy summaryThis is a House Resolution (not a bill), urging three agencies to improve pedestrian safety at a specific crosswalk. It requests visibility enhancements - including warning signs before a curve, speed bumps with signage, and a solar-powered flashing crosswalk sign - for students at Kipapa Elementary School on Kuahelani Avenue in Mililani. The resolution cites existing safety risks like blind curves and parked vehicles, noting current crosswalk markings are insufficient. It does not create new law but formally asks the Department of Transportation, Department of Education, and City and County of Honolulu to implement these measures.

Maddy summaryThis resolution encourages the Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to continue its existing I Hoa na Moolelo Project, which publishes a Hawaiian-language children's magazine for Kaiapuni (Hawaiian immersion) students and families. It directly supports Kaiapuni students and their families by promoting Hawaiian language use at home through accessible resources. As a symbolic resolution, it has no legal effect but formally recognizes the importance of Hawaiian language preservation and urges the Center to expand its current efforts.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural resolution (not a bill), requesting the Hawaii State Energy Office to convene a Geothermal Energy Working Group. The working group - comprising state agency representatives, county officials, industry stakeholders, and community experts - will evaluate regulatory and policy challenges for geothermal energy development in Hawaii and provide recommendations to the Legislature by January 2026. It does not create new laws but aims to identify pathways for accelerating geothermal energy, a stable renewable resource, to support Hawaii's clean energy goals.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution requests that health insurers and managed care providers in Hawaii cover prosthetic and orthotic devices for residents with limb loss or mobility impairments. It specifically aims to address barriers faced by over 18,000 Hawaii residents who currently lack access to activity-specific devices (like those for running or swimming) due to restrictive insurance policies. The resolution asks insurers to provide this coverage to reduce preventable health issues like diabetes and obesity, which disproportionately affect people with disabilities. It is a non-binding request, not a law, and directs copies to major insurance providers and the Insurance Commissioner for consideration.

Maddy summaryHCR 86 is a concurrent resolution requesting Hawaii's Department of Education to establish an "Aloha Civics Working Group" to enhance civics education in public schools. The group, requiring specific members including the Superintendent of Education, university representatives, legislative staff, community organizations, and public members, must assess current civics programs, identify ways to integrate the Aloha Spirit's principles (kindness, unity, humility), develop teaching strategies, recommend educator training, and propose evaluation metrics. The group must submit its final report to the Legislature and Department of Education by January 2026, ahead of the next legislative session. This resolution directly affects Hawaii's public school curriculum and educator training by seeking to incorporate cultural values into civic learning.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 80 requests the Hawaii Department of Education to establish an Aloha Civics Working Group focused on enhancing civics education in public schools. The working group will assess current civics programs, develop recommendations for integrating the "Aloha Spirit" (Hawaii's cultural principles of kindness, unity, and empathy) into the curriculum, and propose teacher training and evaluation metrics. The group must submit a report to the Legislature and Department of Education by 2026. This resolution directly affects Hawaii's public school system and educators through its recommendations for curriculum changes.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 108) is a non-binding urging to the Honolulu City Council to adopt a "pedestrian first" policy via ordinance. It cites that high-risk pedestrian areas (just 2% of streets) account for 60% of fatalities and 42% of injuries in Honolulu, and references the City's 2022 Oahu Pedestrian Plan. The resolution does not create new law but encourages the City Council to prioritize pedestrians in street design decisions, emphasizing safe connections to transit, schools, and commercial areas.

Maddy summaryHCR 87 is a concurrent resolution urging Hawaii's Department of Education to establish an annual Climate Week in all public schools. It directly affects public school students statewide by requiring schools to integrate climate awareness, education, and sustainability initiatives into their curriculum during this dedicated week. Key mechanisms include collaborating with environmental organizations and supporting student-led climate action projects. The resolution does not create new laws but requests the Department of Education to develop this program, citing gaps in current climate education for students. It is modeled after similar initiatives in New York and the UN, aiming to address youth climate anxiety through structured educational engagement.

Maddy summaryHCR 111 is a resolution urging Hawaii's Department of Education (DOE) to provide a detailed report to the Legislature on the true costs of producing school meals. It requires the DOE to break down costs (including ingredients, operations, beverages, supplies, and logistics) and include meal count data by price tier (full-price, reduced-price, free) for the 2024-2025 through 2026-2027 school years. The resolution aims to ensure transparency around proposed meal price increases (e.g., from $2.50 to $4.75 for K-8) and prevent unnecessary hikes by verifying cost claims against existing law requiring meal revenue to cover at least half of production costs. The report must be submitted to the Legislature by January 2026.