Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto

Maddy summaryHCR 6 is a Hawaii legislative resolution affirming that hospitals must provide life-saving emergency care - including abortion services when medically necessary - to stabilize pregnant patients under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). It addresses confusion caused by recent shifts in federal guidance about EMTALA's requirements, particularly following the 2025 rescission of federal affirmations supporting emergency abortion care. The resolution urges all Hawaii hospitals, including religiously affiliated ones, to uphold EMTALA's standards without delay or denial of care. It does not create new law but reinforces Hawaii's commitment to ensuring pregnant patients receive timely emergency treatment as required by federal statute.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution urges Maui Health to partner with state agencies and medical stakeholders to create a full-time medical residency program on Maui, addressing a critical shortage of physicians that worsened after the 2023 wildfires. The bill specifically recommends using federal Rural Health Transformation Program funding to cover initial costs while seeking additional resources from grants and private partnerships. It requests collaboration with the John A. Burns School of Medicine and local health centers, and asks Maui Health to submit a progress report to the Legislature by early 2027. This non-binding resolution aims to improve access to primary care and specialist services for Maui's underserved population without mandating specific actions.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House Resolution that asks health maintenance organizations in Hawaii to follow state laws requiring them to pay medical claims on time. It highlights that current enforcement of these payment rules is weak and often only happens after complaints are filed. The resolution directs state agencies to ensure HMOs comply with the Clean Claims Statute, which mandates payment within thirty days for paper claims or fifteen days for electronic submissions. The measure aims to protect healthcare providers from financial strain and ensure patients in rural and underserved areas maintain access to care.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests that Hawaii's Departments of Health, Human Services, and Education 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 treatment services across the state. Departments are asked to include recommendations for training healthcare and education professionals, reducing reliance on foster care and the criminal justice system, and lowering economic barriers to early intervention. The departments must submit their findings and any proposed legislation 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 facing homelessness or extremely low income. The key provisions require these agencies to assess the number of affected individuals, identify gaps in housing assistance, and evaluate options like transitional housing models on Department lands. Additionally, the agencies must explore funding sources, partner with nonprofit providers, and develop pilot program structures that comply with the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. The resolution mandates that a report on these efforts be submitted to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2027 Regular Session begins.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a joint legislative working group in Hawaii to study and recommend a statewide mattress stewardship program. The group will include representatives from government agencies, local counties, mattress manufacturers, recyclers, retailers, environmental nonprofits, and consumer advocates. Its task is to evaluate how to manage discarded mattresses and box springs to reduce landfill waste, illegal dumping, and fire risks by designing collection, recycling, and funding systems. The working group must submit its findings and any proposed legislation to the Legislature by March 2027. This resolution does not create the program itself but sets up a planning process to develop one.

Maddy summaryThis Hawaii House Resolution urges the U.S. Congress to pass H.R. 2687, the End Kidney Deaths Act, which would create a federal tax credit system to encourage living kidney donations to strangers. The bill aims to address kidney disease disparities affecting rural and low-income communities by increasing the number of available organ donors through financial incentives for non-directed donations. The resolution highlights that kidney transplantation is more effective than dialysis for saving lives and reducing long-term healthcare costs, while noting that existing donor protections remain in place. This measure is presented as a bipartisan effort to expand access to life-saving transplants and reduce the number of patients waiting for kidneys.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House Resolution that urges Hawaii state and local officials to stop using "excited delirium" as a medical diagnosis, cause of death, or legal theory. It directly affects law enforcement agencies, medical professionals, courts, and county governments across Hawaii by calling for the prohibition of this term in official records and legal proceedings. The resolution states that "excited delirium" is not recognized by major medical organizations or included in standard diagnostic manuals, and it requests that medical and legal decisions instead rely on scientifically validated principles. Named the Haleck Resolution in memory of a veteran who died during a law enforcement encounter, it asks county mayors and council chairs to adopt this guidance to ensure accountability and accurate reporting.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution asks the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women to work with the Legislative Reference Bureau to create a working group focused on image-based sexual abuse. The group would include survivors, service providers, law enforcement, and prosecutors to review laws and policies from other states and recommend improvements for prevention, intervention, and survivor protection. The working group must submit a report with findings and potential legislation to the Legislature by early 2028 and will dissolve by the end of 2027. This resolution does not change any laws directly but sets up a process to study and propose future policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to work with state and county agencies, community organizations, and Native Hawaiian leaders to create a comprehensive statewide food security strategy. The plan aims to address high rates of food insecurity affecting households, particularly children and marginalized communities, by assessing access barriers and recommending policy changes. Key requirements include reducing food costs, expanding access to nutritious and culturally appropriate foods, and aligning efforts with existing county food plans. The Department must submit the strategy to the Legislature by the beginning of the 2028 session to inform future policy and funding decisions.