Rep. Mahina Poepoe

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Hawaii Departments of Health, Human Services, and Education to create a coordinated plan to address fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), which affect individuals exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. The plan would explore establishing a statewide FASD coordinator, strategies for accessing federal funding, and methods to improve awareness and training for healthcare providers and educators. It aims to reduce the economic and social costs of FASD by improving early identification, treatment access, and support for affected families. The departments must submit their findings and recommendations to the Legislature by December 15, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions to create a coordinated support system for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries who are homeless or have extremely low incomes. The resolution asks these agencies to assess how many people are affected, identify gaps in current housing assistance, and explore options like transitional housing models on trust lands. It also directs them to evaluate funding sources, partner with nonprofit organizations, and ensure all plans comply with the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act before submitting a report to the Legislature by the start of the 2027 session.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the City and County of Honolulu and the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions to create a coordinated strategic action plan for addressing behavioral health and homelessness on the Waianae Coast. The plan would analyze emergency response times, hospital utilization, and current shelter capacity to identify service gaps and high-need areas in the region. It also requires the agencies to evaluate how well outreach teams, behavioral health providers, and first responders work together and to explore options for establishing a regional crisis stabilization center. The agencies must include community-based service providers in the planning process and submit their findings and recommendations to the Legislature by the start of the 2027 session.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Hawaii Department of Transportation to fix and update its administrative rules for the Driver Education Program based on recommendations from a state auditor's report. The auditor found that the department has not certified any driver education curricula for over twenty years and lacks proper oversight and clear policies for instructor certification. As a result, the bill asks the department to establish curriculum task forces, certify required materials, and create consistent procedures for instructor training and renewal. The department must also submit a report on its progress and updated rules to the legislature by the start of the 2027 session.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women and the Legislative Reference Bureau to create a working group focused on improving protections for survivors of image-based sexual abuse. The group will include representatives from law enforcement, legal offices, service providers, and survivors to review policies in other states and recommend changes to Hawaii law. The working group must submit a report with its findings and proposed legislation to the Legislature before the 2028 session begins and will be dissolved by the end of 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill urges Hawaii's Department of Education to work with teachers to create an artificial intelligence literacy curriculum for students in grades six through twelve. The resolution recommends that the curriculum be developed using peer-reviewed research, global AI literacy frameworks, and existing Hawaii-based programs, with a focus on ethical AI use, equitable access for all students, and regular assessments of student progress. It also requests that the curriculum be updated regularly to keep pace with evolving technology and social norms. As a concurrent resolution, this measure does not change law directly but serves as a formal recommendation to state education officials.

Maddy summaryThis bill urges the Hawaii Department of Education to start initiatives aimed at reducing teacher turnover in the state. It directly affects the state's education system by calling for research into why teachers leave, particularly focusing on issues like low salaries, housing costs, and challenges in rural areas. The resolution requests the department to create an advisory board with educators, students, and community members to recommend retention strategies and encourages ongoing recognition efforts for teachers. This is a non-binding concurrent resolution that serves as a formal recommendation rather than a law with mandatory requirements.

Maddy summaryThis House Concurrent Resolution urges Hawaii state agencies to create a statewide peer counselor program for high school students to address youth loneliness and social disconnection. The program would involve trained student peer counselors who receive standardized instruction in active listening, ethical boundaries, and culturally responsive practices to foster peer connections and early identification of emotional distress. The Department of Education would lead implementation in collaboration with the Department of Health, Office of Wellness and Resilience, and Hawaii State Youth Commission, starting with pilot programs in select schools before statewide rollout. The resolution emphasizes face-to-face interaction, trust-building activities, and clear referral pathways to licensed mental health professionals while prioritizing culturally appropriate approaches for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.

Maddy summaryThis bill urges the Hawaii Department of Transportation to modify the dimensions of rumble strips on a specific section of Kamehameha V Highway on Molokai, east of mile marker 9.5. The resolution states that the current rumble strips are too aggressive and cause drivers to swerve or straddle lane lines to avoid the intense vibration, which creates new safety risks by pushing vehicles into narrow shoulder areas used by cyclists and pedestrians. The bill recommends changing the strip design to a shallower sinusoidal or mumble profile that provides necessary lane-departure warnings without encouraging avoidance maneuvers. This is a non-binding recommendation aimed at improving road safety while reducing noise pollution for local residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a concurrent resolution that formally requests the Hawaii Department of Transportation and Department of Law Enforcement to work together to create a state highway police force. It aims to address rising traffic fatalities by supplementing county police efforts with a specialized state-level enforcement unit focused on highway safety. The resolution highlights the potential benefits of combining transportation infrastructure expertise with law enforcement authority to improve traffic management and response to incidents. It does not authorize funding or mandate the creation of the force, but rather serves as a formal recommendation to the relevant state agencies.