Rep. Darius Kila

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 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.

Maddy summaryThis bill urges the Hawaii Department of Transportation to consider adopting a demerit points-based driver's licensing system. It directly affects drivers by proposing a method where points are added to a license for traffic violations, similar to systems used in approximately forty states. The resolution cites high traffic fatality rates and the department's acknowledgment that most crashes stem from human behavior as reasons for this recommendation. It does not mandate the change but requests the department to evaluate implementing this system to improve road safety.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Department of Transportation and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to form a working group that will coordinate infrastructure planning for Hawaiian home land developments. The working group will include leaders from both departments, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and infrastructure experts to review overlapping projects and identify ways to reduce costs through synchronized planning. Specifically, the group will map out planned improvements over a five-year period, evaluate opportunities to combine construction efforts like road and drainage work, and assess potential cost savings from joint execution. The group is tasked with developing a standardized coordination process, identifying legal or procedural barriers to cooperation, and recommending any necessary changes to make coordinated planning permanent. The working group must submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by the end of 2026 and will dissolve on June 30, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to expand and strengthen programs focused on financial literacy, credit readiness, and homeownership preparedness for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries. The resolution asks the department to work with financial educators, credit counselors, and community partners to provide pre-award education, post-award support, culturally responsive materials, and to identify funding opportunities. The department is also asked to report back to the Legislature within 20 days of the 2027 session with details on program improvements, the number of people served, and measurable outcomes related to lease retention and credit improvement.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Department of Education to work together on a permanent program to increase tree coverage at public schools across the state. The initiative aims to address heat exposure and improve outdoor learning opportunities, with special attention to ensuring equitable tree distribution in lower-income and Title I schools that currently have less shade. The program would include long-term tree maintenance, strategic species selection, and the creation of dedicated staff positions to sustain the effort. It builds on existing pilot programs like Shade Trees for Schools and Fruit Trees for Schools, which have shown positive results but have been limited by short-term funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Department of Transportation to work with utility companies to create a statewide plan for addressing aging or abandoned utility poles and lines along Farrington Highway and other high-risk road corridors. The key provisions ask the department to organize assessments of infrastructure, develop repair or removal schedules, prioritize areas with high traffic or wildfire risks, and clarify who is responsible for funding and maintenance. The bill also directs the department to review existing laws regarding utility maintenance obligations and submit a detailed report to the Legislature by early 2027 outlining findings and recommendations.

Maddy summaryThis bill urges state and city transportation departments to collaborate with local community groups to develop and improve the coastal trail system on Oahu's North Shore. The resolution emphasizes the need for safe, non-vehicular pathways to address current unsafe road conditions and encourage walking and biking in the area. It calls for community involvement in all stages of trail planning, design, construction, and maintenance to ensure the trails meet local needs. The measure also references existing efforts like the Complete Streets Ordinance and Vision Zero Action Plan as context for improving transportation safety and accessibility.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests that Google Maps, Apple Maps, and similar digital navigation platforms remove or restrict public identification and labeling of hazardous coastal features like Mermaid Caves in Hawaii. The resolution asks these companies to eliminate recreational designations and directions that encourage public access to dangerous sea caves known for causing injuries and fatalities. It directs the Department of Land and Natural Resources to coordinate with emergency responders and local agencies to provide safety data supporting these requests. The measure clarifies that it does not restrict lawful shoreline access, traditional practices, news reporting, or academic research.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Department of Transportation and the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to form a working group that will study whether the state should own or control warehouses and logistics facilities near ports, harbors, and airports. The goal is to lower material costs for publicly funded housing projects by improving supply chain efficiency and reducing transportation expenses caused by Hawaii's reliance on imported building materials. The working group will examine potential sites, analyze cost savings from bulk purchasing, evaluate public-private partnerships, and determine if any new laws are needed to implement the recommendations. The group must include representatives from transportation, housing agencies, contractors, and legislative committees, and will submit its findings to the legislature by early 2027.