Rep. Garner Shimizu

Maddy summaryThis resolution requests Hawaii's Insurance Commissioner to study alternative insurance models for condominium associations and unit owners, addressing severe premium increases (300-600% in 2024) that have left many properties underinsured. It specifically directs the study to examine mutual insurance standards and building life insurance models, which would require 60-year contracts, maintenance schedules, escrow accounts for premiums, and predictable premium adjustments. The study must evaluate feasibility and include recommendations for potential legislation, with a report due to the Legislature by early 2026. This affects all Hawaii condo associations and unit owners facing coverage shortages that risk mortgage access and rebuild costs after disasters.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests a study to determine if Hawaii can establish an Environmental Protection Agency-certified laboratory for testing drinking water. It directly affects Hawaii residents by addressing the current need to send water samples to California for testing, which causes delays (about one week) and risks sample spoilage during transport. The study will examine the feasibility of creating such a lab or upgrading Hawaii's existing Department of Health lab to meet EPA standards, including costs, operations, and potential hosts. The resolution requires the study to report findings to the legislature by early 2026, with no immediate policy changes proposed.

Maddy summaryHCR 18 requests a study to determine if Hawaii can establish an EPA-certified laboratory for testing drinking water locally. Currently, Hawaii lacks such a facility, requiring samples to be sent to California for testing, which causes delays (up to a week), risks sample spoilage during transport, and creates vulnerabilities during emergencies like the 2021 Red Hill water crisis. The study would examine costs for creating a new lab or upgrading the existing Department of Health lab in Pearl City, including initial setup, annual operations, organizational structures, and potential hosting entities. It aims to assess whether local testing could improve response times for contaminants like petroleum hydrocarbons and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), with findings due to the Legislature by early 2026.

Maddy summaryHCR 85 is a resolution requesting Hawaii's Insurance Commissioner to study alternative insurance models for condominium associations and unit owners. It specifically directs the study to examine mutual insurance models and building life insurance, which would require developers to secure long-term coverage (60+ years), establish maintenance schedules, and manage premiums in escrow accounts. The study must develop standards for mutual insurance and evaluate building life insurance's feasibility, including how premiums would be calculated based on building materials and maintenance. The resulting report, due by early 2026, will inform potential future legislation to address soaring insurance costs affecting hundreds of condominium associations.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution designates the State of Hawaii as a "Purple Heart State" to honor military personnel awarded the Purple Heart for combat wounds, death, or captivity. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes Hawaii's support for veterans through legislative action. The resolution directs certified copies to the Governor and the Department of Defense's Veteran Services office. This symbolic gesture directly affects Purple Heart recipients and veterans in Hawaii by affirming state-level appreciation for their service.

Maddy summaryHCR 126 is a procedural resolution requesting Hawaii's Legislative Reference Bureau to review all mandatory reports required by law to be submitted to the Legislature. The Bureau must identify reports that are outdated (e.g., for programs that no longer exist) or no longer provide useful information, then recommend which should be discontinued. This review is based on existing law requiring the Bureau to track report submissions, with findings due to the Legislature by early 2026. The resolution does not change any laws but aims to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens.

Maddy summaryHCR 34 is a Hawaii state resolution urging Congress to call a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. It specifically requests a convention limited to proposing amendments that impose fiscal restraints on federal spending, reduce federal power and jurisdiction, and establish term limits for federal officials and members of Congress. The resolution explicitly states the convention must not consider changes to the Bill of Rights and includes detailed procedural requirements for how Congress should handle such a request. As a concurrent resolution, it does not create new law but formally expresses Hawaii’s position to Congress. This is a procedural request, not a legislative action affecting residents or federal policy directly.

Maddy summaryHCR 50 is a concurrent resolution requesting the Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement and Department of Health to form a task force focused on Oahu streams. The task force must develop recommendations for humane no-trespassing policies, improve coordination between state and county agencies regarding stream encampments, connect individuals experiencing homelessness to services, and address environmental pollution. It requires specific members including agency directors, county leadership, and legislative chairs, with a report due by August 2025. This resolution does not create new laws but seeks to coordinate existing resources to address health, safety, and environmental concerns near Oahu's waterways.

Maddy summaryHCR 81 is a concurrent resolution requesting U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy to initiate a performance review of the Honolulu Rail Transit Project under the 2024 Amended Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA). It directly affects the rail project, which has faced significant cost overruns (increasing from $5.5 billion to $12.45 billion) and delays (pushing completion to 2030), relying on federal funding. The resolution cites the FFGA's requirement for federal oversight to assess whether HART (Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit) is making satisfactory progress toward completion. This is a procedural request, not a legislative change, urging federal review based on existing agreement terms.

Maddy summaryHCR 147 is a concurrent resolution urging Hawaii's Department of Health, Attorney General, and Department of Law Enforcement to coordinate an enforcement plan addressing illegal dispensaries selling cannabis labeled as hemp. It directly affects these state agencies and targets the surge of over 84 illegal operators selling cannabis (with THC over 0.3%) disguised as hemp, often near schools and in high-traffic areas like Waikiki. The resolution calls for interagency coordination to address gaps in enforcement, as current rules lack specific regulations for these illicit operations, which offer unregulated products without age checks or medical requirements. It does not create new laws but requests existing agencies use their authority under Hawaii Revised Statutes and administrative rules to combat this issue.